Ella Emhoff made a striking appearance on the runway at Coach’s Spring 2025 show during New York Fashion Week on Monday. The 25-year-old stepdaughter of Vice President Kamala Harris showcased a custom “I Heart NY” t-shirt beneath a sleek black blazer, complemented by a black miniskirt, matching baseball cap, matte black ballet flats, and a chain-link-strap shoulder bag.
Emhoff, a multifaceted artist with roles as a knitter, designer, social media influencer, and model, has been making waves in the fashion industry since signing with IMG Models in January 2021, shortly after President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
IMG Models President Ivan Bart praised Emhoff’s unique presence, telling The New York Times, “It’s not really about shape, size or gender anymore. Ella communicates this moment in time with a cheekiness and joy.”
Bart first noticed Emhoff’s fashion impact during Biden’s swearing-in ceremony, where she wore a Miu Miu tartan coat with a pilgrim collar and embellished shoulders over a deep burgundy dress by Batsheva.
Emhoff graduated from Parsons School of Design in 2021 with a degree in fine arts and a focus on textiles. Since then, she has modeled for prominent brands such as Balenciaga and Adidas by Stella McCartney.
Despite her growing success, Emhoff admitted to The Washington Post last year that joining one of the top modeling agencies was a profound experience. “All of my life, I had really low self-esteem and self-confidence, so this kind of felt like a way for me to take that back,” she revealed. “I have body hair, I have tattoos. That’s not the most conventional model look, but it’s not out of the ordinary today.”
On the runway, Emhoff described her experience as entering a “Zen state,” humorously noting, “I’m trying not to look at Anna Wintour.”
Related Topics:
