Ella Emhoff is making strides in the fashion industry, both on and off the runway.
While her father Douglas Emhoff is a lawyer and her stepmother Kamala Harris is the 49th Vice President of the United States, Emhoff has avoided politics and embraced her fashion profile as a model, artist and designer.
She first caught the attention of the style world when she wore a bejeweled Miu Miu coat to the presidential inauguration in January 2021. Since then, Emhoff has signed a major modeling contract, graced famous fashion week runways and graced the covers of prestigious magazines.
Almost a year after entering the sartorial scene professionally, she has established herself as a style “icon” due to her eccentric style and comfort in her body. Additionally, she gained attention as a designer with her whimsical knitwear creations.
From her political family background to her many fashion accomplishments, here’s everything you need to know about Emhoff.
She is a member of the Second Family of the United States
Emhoff was born to Second American Gentleman Doug Emhoff and film producer Kerstin Emhoff on May 29, 1999. After her parents divorced in 2008, her father married Kamala Harris in 2014.
At the time, Harris was serving as California’s Attorney General. When Harris became Vice President of the US, Emhoff became an official member of the Second Family of the United States.
She has modeled and walked runways for major fashion brands
After catching the attention of fashion watchers at the presidential inauguration in January 2021, Emhoff was signed by IMG Models Worldwide later that month. Emhoff joined the agency’s A-list, consisting of Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid and Hailey Baldwin.
Since signing, she has modeled for brands such as Balenciaga, posed for popular fashion magazines such as Vanity Fairand walked in shows for Miu Miu, Proenza and more.
In September 2021, she became the face of the Adidas by Stella McCartney campaign alongside the designer Adidas Earth Explorer collection. “I think Stella McCartney represents the future of fashion,” said Emhoff Vogue of cooperation.
She attended the Met Gala
Before Stella McCartney became the face of Adidas, Emhoff wore the designer when she made her Met Gala debut in May 2021.
She graced the Met’s famous steps in a red diamond mesh Adidas bodysuit by Stella McCartney with matching trousers, walking hand-in-hand with actress Julia Garner on the red carpet.
She is a designer in her own right
Not only has Emhoff worked with some of the biggest fashion designers in the industry, but she’s also a stylist! The creative attended the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York City and graduated in May 2021.
Harris posted a celebratory tribute to her stepmother I tweet writing, “Congratulations to our daughter Ella on her graduation. I’m so proud of you. Keep dreaming big and there’s nothing you can’t achieve.” She ended the post, “Love, Momala.”
Emhoff studied fine arts with a concentrated focus on clothing and textiles. In spring 2021, she launched a limited knitwear collection, with Batsheva Hay, and said Vanity Fair there are designs for a collection of the same name at some point.
She was named “Icon of the Year” by Harper’s Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar named Emhoff one of their “icons” of the year for her impact on the world through her ideas and art. She spoke to PEOPLE in 2022 Harper’s Bazaar Icons & Bloomingdale’s 150th Anniversary for the honor.
“It’s kind of shocking,” she said. “This is a tremendous honor and as someone who doesn’t really think of herself that way, it’s a nice reassurance. And it makes me check myself and how I perceive myself, so exciting.”
She embraces her natural beauty
Emhoff has established herself as a trailblazer in the fashion industry for her low-maintenance beauty routine, in addition to being an advocate for embracing natural beauty.
“When I was younger, I plucked the middle part of my brows, but recently I stopped and it’s amazing,” she said in a video for Good morning Vogue while preparing for Balenciaga’s Spring/Summer 2022 Paris Fashion Week show. “I think everyone should just embrace their little eyebrows.”
Following an extraordinary new standard, the model also does not cover her tattoos or shave her armpits. In September 2021, she walked the runway at Prabal Gurung’s New York Fashion Week show in a nude look.
She is dating GQ editor Sam Hine
In August 2021, Emhoff confirmed her relationship with GQ editor Sam Hine during an interview with Vanity Fair. While the pair have appeared on a number of red carpets and fashion events, the model describes the perfect date as “stopping at the market, buying the craziest products and figuring out what to cook with it.”
Hine is also very supportive of Emhoff, her career and her philosophy. “She does herself, and that’s the message,” Hine told PEOPLE in the Harper’s Bazaar the party. “She’s a real individual. And that’s the most important thing. That’s what being an icon really is.”
