2024-08-24 13:00:02
CHICAGO — Though there have been many stylish standouts from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week – from former first lady Michelle Obama’s deconstructed suit by Monse, to Vice President Kamala Harris’s custom Chloé and first lady Jill Biden’s shimmering blue Ralph Lauren dress – it was the vice president’s stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, who seemed to have the most fun with her fashion choices.
That should come as no surprise to anyone who’s followed Emhoff since Harris took office. Emhoff, who is signed to IMG models and is an artist and fashion designer, has been a boon for high fashion and is poised to only become more influential if she becomes part of the official first family.
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However, Emhoff is already affectionately known as the “First Daughter of Bushwick” – Brooklyn’s home for artsy, stick-and-poke-tattooed twentysomethings – having modeled for designers including Proenza Schouler and Maisie Wilen since her breakout moment in an embellished houndstooth ensemble at President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021.
Over the past few nights, the 25-year-old has given clear examples of what we can expect from her if she steps into the role of “first daughter.” On Monday, she wore a sleeveless Helmut Lang scarf top and pleated pants, paired with the campaign’s possibly Chappell Roan-coded camo hunter camp. The next night, it was classic Thom Browne plaid suiting with her naturally curly hair slicked back, carrying a cookie bag from cult brand Puppets and Puppets. “If you saw me cry on tv NO YOU DIDN’T,” she wrote on Instagram that night, showing a clip of her tearing up over her father, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, taking the stage.
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On Thursday, Emhoff addressed the convention, telling the crowd that her “Momala” came into her life at 14 years old – “famously a very easy time for a teenager,” she joked, before praising the vice president.
“Like a lot of young people, I didn’t always understand what I was feeling, but no matter what, Kamala was there for me. She was patient, caring and always took me seriously. She’s never stopped listening to me and she’s not going to stop listening to all of us.”
She appeared on the stage with Harris’s niece and goddaughter – reinforcing one of the convention’s themes: the importance of family.
For her speech, she wore an off-the-shoulder asymmetric baby blue and white drop-waist gown with a hand-ruched tulle skirt. It was an undeniably girlish choice for a convention that has showcased myriad twists on feminine power dressing, yet it remained up-to-the-minute stylish. Emhoff paired the look with Gen Z’s favorite combination of tall white socks and black Mary Jane flats, while the bodice was cut just right to expose her patchwork tattoos.
The frock was created by social media personality, actor and designer Joe Ando (who had teased the dress for days online and promptly posted a gleeful reaction video). Ando wrote on Instagram that the dress took three days to make and that Emhoff herself crocheted the piece’s flower detail on the shoulder strap.
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What better signal could there be to encourage designers to rethink the dress codes to which female leaders, first ladies and first daughters have previously abided – and usher in a new era of young and modern political power-dressing.
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