Meet Ella Emhoff, Kamala Harris’ 21-year-old stepdaughter who’s a fashion icon in her own right

ella emhoff

Ella Emhoff became a style icon after attending the Inauguration. Kent Nishimura/Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

  • Ella Emhoff is Doug Emhoff’s daughter and Vice President Kamala Harris’ stepdaughter.

  • Emhoff is a student at Parsons School of Design, and she made a style statement on Inauguration Day.

  • Emhoff has since signed with a modeling agency and walked at New York Fashion Week.

  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Ella Emhoff captured people’s hearts on Inauguration Day in January when she arrived at the US Capitol Building in a bedazzled Miu Miu coat and collared Batsheva dress.

Following her appearance on Inauguration Day, Emhoff became somewhat of an overnight sensation. She told Vogue of her ensemble: “This momentous of an event deserves a momentous outfit.”

But Emhoff, the daughter of second gentleman Doug Emhoff and stepdaughter of Vice President Kamala Harris, is no stranger to the fashion world.

The 21-year-old is currently a student at The New School’s Parsons School of Design in New York City, where she’s pursuing a bachelor’s degree in fine and studio arts.

She lives in Brooklyn, New York, and has a penchant for designing custom knitwear.

As a college senior, the style icon and artist is still just at the beginning of her career.

Ella Emhoff Getty Images

Cole and Ella Emhoff at the Biden-Harris Inauguration. Win McNamee/Getty Images

In January, Emhoff signed with a talent agency that represents top models

On January 28 – eight days after Biden and Harris’ inauguration ceremony – IMG Models Worldwide announced that it was representing Emhoff, as well as 23-year-old Amanda Gorman, who became the youngest person to deliver a poem at a US presidential inauguration.

The modeling agency represents some of the most famous faces in fashion, including Gigi and Bella Hadid, Ashley Graham, Hailey Bieber, and Karlie Kloss.

“Ella communicates this moment in time,” Ivan Bart, the president of IMG Models, told The New York Times of Emhoff. “There’s a cheekiness and a joy she exudes.”

Prior to joining IMG’s roster, Emhoff was “modeling on and off for the last year with a smaller agent,” according to The New York Times.

She told The New York Times that she wasn’t expecting to join a large modeling agency, but she hopes to use the platform to be “part of” the increasing diversity of models in the fashion industry.

“I was pretty surprised when everything with IMG was happening because when I was younger, I never saw that as being part of my timeline,” Emhoff said. “As someone who, like a lot of young girls out there, had self-confidence issues, it is intimidating and scary to go into this world that is hyper-focused on you and the body.”

At 21, Emhoff has walked at a luxury runway show and landed her first magazine cover

Emhoff made her debut at New York Fashion Week in February as she walked the runway for Proenza Schouler’s Fall/Winter 2021 virtual fashion show.

As shown in a video from the designer, Emhoff wore three different outfits. Her first look was a long baby-blue coat and matching trousers. Then, she changed into a yellow trench coat. She ended the show wearing a pair of oversized pants and a black blazer.

After her New York Fashion Week appearance, Emhoff landed her first magazine cover.

She was photographed for the cover of Dust Magazine‘s spring 2021 issue wearing a patchwork knit sweater with a Gucci cotton shirt and a sleeveless turtleneck from The Row.

Emhoff, who previously told The New York Times: “I pick and choose the times I want to show my style,” said in her interview with Dust Magazine that the outfit she wore on its cover was true to her sense of fashion.

“Personally, I like the cross between old and new,” Emhoff said. “I love the doily-type collars, I obviously love knits, I love tartans, I love classic embroidery, and I wanted to make sure I stayed true to myself and keep that alive.”

Emhoff is launching knitwear with the designer of her Inauguration Day dress

During a March episode of “Good Morning Vogue” on YouTube, Emhoff said that she’s teaming up with Batsheva Hay – who designed Emhoff’s dress that she wore on Inauguration Day – to launch a collection of knitwear garments.

“So many of her designs are so cohesive to my personal wants and needs,” Emhoff said of Hay.

Neither Emhoff nor Hay revealed when the designs are launching, but they gave Vogue a glimpse into the design process.

“Even though my stuff is more ‘traditional femininity,’ I think that you’re also doing something playful and playing with femininity, too, in colors and shapes and all of that kind of stuff,” Hay said to Emhoff.

Emhoff was designing clothes before her Inauguration Day style debut

On Instagram, Emhoff has shown several knitwear pieces and crocheted clothing items that she made herself.

In February, Emhoff released a collection of five one-of-a-kind pieces on Mall, a shopping platform for up-and-coming designers.

The items – which included two sweater vests, a Tweety Bird purse, a pair of shorts, and a dress – ranged in price from $160 to $320. They sold out in a few hours, according to The New York Times.

Emhoff, speaking with “Good Morning Vogue,” said that her “life really did a 180” following Inauguration Day.

“I have to be honest, I was not expecting this,” Emhoff said. “Obviously, things are changing, life has changed. There are a lot more people involved in my life now.”

With her forthcoming knitwear collection in the pipeline and her college graduation around the corner, it’s only the beginning of Emhoff’s career.

Read the original article on Insider