“I never saw myself as a stylish person,” said Ella Emhoff in an interview with 2021 Elle, who became interested in fashion early on. “But… I was able to stick to my true instinct for style, and it really paid off.”
Paid for, indeed. At just 25 years old, the daughter of Doug Emhoff and the stepdaughter of the Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, is in the world of fashion, and elite New York designers are trying to dress her. As the Harris campaign kicks off, Emhoff is set to shine even brighter this year – which could add to her appeal among designers.
Emhoff first caught the attention of the fashion cognoscenti at the inauguration of President Biden in January 2021. She wore a burgundy moire dress by the well-known brand Batsheva, topped with a bejeweled Miu Miu tweed coat. Amongst a crowd of costumers, her fashion statement stood out.
“Ella has such an attitude and style that you don’t always think about [Washington] DC, because … DC has the worst style,” designer Batsheva Hay later said Vogue of the commission. “Women in politics often have these feelings that they have to suppress their style or their individuality to fit into these boxing suits.”
Every fashion magazine was asking the same question: “Who is this super cool girl?” It was even more interesting when it was revealed that Emhoff, then a textile student at Parsons School of Design, had actively collaborated with designer Batsheva Hay on the design of the suit. Just weeks later she was signed to the IMG modeling agency, which also represents the likes of Gisele Bundchen and Gigi Hadid.
Since then, Emhoff has appeared on the catwalk for Miu Miu and Balenciaga – but she’s known for her off-duty looks. She’s now a front-row staple, appearing at shows for up-and-coming fashion brands such as Collina Strada and Eckhaus Latta, as well as major players from Stella McCartney to Proenza Schouler.
Emhoff was perhaps inevitably associated with some of the lesser designers on the New York Fashion Week schedule. Names from Prabal Gurung to Jonathan Simkhai have been vocal Democratic campaigners in the past, sharing similar values to Emhoff, not to mention comparable artistic interests and circles of friends. Marc Jacobs and Tom Ford publicly said they refused to dress the Trumps ahead of the last election, as a result of the former president’s divisive politics. As Kamala, who her stepdaughter refers to as “Momala”, is a more modest dresser, Emhoff may now be the best opportunity for these designers to see their clothes worn on the political stage. deep
Emhoff’s artsy fashion sense has earned her the nickname “The First Daughter of Bushwick” (one of New York’s most famous hipster neighborhoods) and has earned her over 340,000 followers on Instagram. There are round frame glasses, tank tops that show off her many tattoos and colorful knits, as well as a signature top of curly hair. She and her man dress-like, the GQ editor Samuel Hine, one of New York’s young creative power couples.
This momentum and influence has not continued to grow since that public debut at the 2021 inauguration. So where does she take things next? Emhoff founded her own knitwear label, Soft Hands, and launched a portrait knitwear collection in 2022.
In June 2024, she switched representation to United Talent Agency (UTA), a company that brokers deals for talents such as Kylie Minogue and Greta Gerwig. The move represents a change of tack for Emhoff, moving from just modeling to actively collaborating with brands, especially as her knitwear label grows.
“That’s what makes me so excited about the whole industry,” Emhoff said of her ambitions and the opportunities she sees expanding from her modeling profile. “I see my colleagues, especially people coming from New York who are not ‘models’, but they will use their own image to amplify their work and their ideals. I think modeling now is not just about modeling, it’s about creating space for people who do other things, whether it’s art, activism, writing, any kind of creation.”
It’s a strategy that could work out well for her. If Kamala Harris wins the 2024 US presidential election, Emhoff would be promoted to “First Daughter” in January.
It is natural to speculate on the impact this could have on her career – especially compared to Ivanka Trump. Ivanka is the only other recently grown First Daughter, and she eventually closed her fashion business after taking a special advisory role in her father’s administration.
It is unlikely that Emhoff – despite showing an interest in politics – would consider taking a job with her stepmother, which would leave her free to work in whatever field she wants.
Well, almost free. If she continues to make an impact with her knitwear brand and clothes, things will change. The scrutiny applied to every collaboration she’s involved in, and every design she releases, will increase. She has to be extra considerate so that she does not cause any controversy to her Mamala.