Ella Emhoff continues to make strides in the fashion industry both on and off the runway.
Although her father, Douglas Emhoff, is an attorney and her stepmother, Kamala Harris, is the 49th Vice President of the United States, Emhoff initially eschewed politics in favor of a fashion profile as a model, artist, and designer.
She first gained attention in the style world when she wore a Miu Miu jewel-encrusted coat to the presidential inauguration in January 2021. Since then, Emhoff has signed major modeling contracts, graced the runways of prestigious fashion weeks, and graced the covers of prestigious magazines.
It’s been almost a year since she stepped onto the sartorial scene professionally, and she’s established herself as a style “icon” with her quirky style and comfort in her own body. Additionally, she gained attention as a designer with her quirky knitwear pieces.
Now, Emhoff is vocal about his support for his stepmother’s 2024 presidential bid.
From her political family background to her many accomplishments in the fashion world, here’s everything you need to know about Emhoff.
She is a member of America’s second family
Vice President Kamala Harris’ Twitter
Emhoff was born on May 29, 1999 to American Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and film producer Kerstin Emhoff. Her father married Harris in 2014 after her parents divorced in 2008.
At the time, Harris was California’s attorney general. When Harris became vice president of the United States, Emhoff became an official member of America’s Second Family.
She has modeled and walked the runway for major fashion brands.
Peter White/Getty
After catching the attention of fashion-conscious viewers at the presidential inauguration in January 2021, Emhoff signed a contract with IMG Models Worldwide later that month. Emhoff joins the station’s A-list roster of Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid and Hailey Baldwin.
Since signing, she has modeled for brands such as Balenciaga, posed for famous fashion magazines such as Vanity Fair, and appeared in shows such as Miu Miu and Proenza.
In September 2021, she became the face of the Adidas by Stella McCartney campaign alongside the designer’s Adidas Earth Explorer collection. “I feel like Stella McCartney represents the future of fashion,” Emhoff told Vogue about the collaboration.
she attended the met gala
Dimitrios Cambris/Getty
Before becoming the face of Adidas by Stella McCartney, Emhoff wore the designer during her Met Gala debut in May 2021.
She graced the famous Met steps as she walked the red carpet hand-in-hand with actress Julia Garner in an Adidas by Stella McCartney red diamond mesh bodysuit and matching pants.
she is a fashion designer in her own right
Ella Emhoff’s Instagram
Not only has Emhoff worked with some of the biggest fashion designers in the industry, he’s also a fashion designer. The creator attended New York City’s prestigious Parsons School of Design and graduated in May 2021.
Harris posted a congratulatory tribute to her stepdaughter the following day. Twitter “Congratulations to my daughter Ella on your graduation. I’m so proud of you. If you have ambition and keep dreaming, there’s nothing you can’t achieve.” She concluded her post with, “Love you, Momala.”
Emhoff studied fine arts with an emphasis on apparel and textiles. In spring 2021, she launched a limited edition collection of knitwear with Batsheva Hay, and told Vanity Fair that she would one day design a collection of the same name.
In January 2022, Emhoff announced on Instagram that she would continue producing knitwear under her own name. She shared that the first “knit drop” containing 20 handmade items will be available on her website later that year.
“I’m a one-woman show,” Emhoff told Women’s Wear Daily in 2022. “It was a labor of love.”
Since then, the popularity of Emhoff’s designs has grown. In February 2023, Vogue magazine reported that her knitwear would be featured in a special pop-up presentation during New York Fashion Week. Two months later, Emhoff’s design appeared on the cover of the MINI V.
She was named “Icon of the Year” by Harper’s Bazaar
Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images
Harper’s Bazaar named Emhoff one of this year’s “Icons” for the impact he has had on the world through his ideas and art. She told PEOPLE about the honor at the 2022 Harper’s Bazaar Icons & Bloomingdale’s 150th Anniversary Celebration.
“I’m a little shocked,” she said. “This is an incredible honor and a huge relief as someone who doesn’t think of myself that way. And I’m so excited to be able to see myself and how I perceive myself.” I am.”
she embraces her natural beauty
Arnold Gierocchi/Getty
In addition to being an advocate of embracing your natural beauty, Emhoff has established herself as a trailblazer in the fashion industry with her low-maintenance beauty routine.
“When I was younger, I used to pluck out the middle part of my eyebrows, but recently I stopped. It’s amazing,” she says in a video for Good Morning Vogue while preparing for Balenciaga’s Spring/Summer 2022 Paris Fashion Week show. spoke. “I think everyone should embrace their little unibrow.”
It is also worth noting that this model, a pioneer of the new substandard, does not hide her tattoos and does not shave her armpits. Notably, in September 2021, she walked the runway in a revealing look at Prabal Gurung’s New York Fashion Week show.
She was dating GQ writer Sam Hein
Santiago Felipe/Getty
In August 2021, Emhoff confirmed his relationship with GQ writer Sam Hine in an interview with Vanity Fair. The pair have been spotted together at fashion events and red carpets, but Emhoff said at the time that a perfect date would be “stopping at the market, buying the most exotic produce, and figuring out what to cook with it.” He said that was the case.
At the Harper’s Bazaar party where Emhoff was honored, Hine told PEOPLE why she thinks she’s an icon: “She carries herself and that’s the message. She’s a true individual. The most important thing is that it truly is an icon. ”
The two separated in the summer of 2023.
She supports Harris’ 2024 presidential bid
Emhoff has supported her stepmother since Harris announced her 2024 presidential bid. She was in the spotlight at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where she was seen wearing a Harris Waltz baseball cap on the first day and holding a placard that read “Doug” on the second day. was seen.
She has also been quick to defend Harris against her political opponents. In July 2024, after a Fox News interview in which Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance criticized Harris for being “childless” resurfaced, Emhoff spoke out on social media.
“How can you say you don’t have kids when you have cuties like Cole and me,” Emhoff wrote on her Instagram Stories. “I love my three parents.”
