Meet Ella Emhoff, Kamala Harris’ controversial stepdaughter: the Balenciaga model rose to fame in a Miu Miu coat and embraces her unibrow, but was accused of fundraising for a ‘Hamas linked’ UN agency
Model, designer, influencer and the stepdaughter of US Vice-President Kamala Harris, Ella Emhoff is certainly no stranger to the spotlight.
In 2021, her Miu Miu coat saw her become an overnight trendsetter, steering her down a path of fashion glory with powerful collaborations and a cult following that appreciates her self-love mentality.
Emhoff may be used to getting coverage for her fashion wins, but recently it was her prompt to followers to raise funds for an organisation with alleged ties to Hamas that made headlines.
From her incredible rise to fashion fame and her recent controversy, here’s the latest on “It” girl Ella Emhoff.
Understanding the backlash against Ella Emhoff
Emhoff made headlines after posting a link to UNRWA’s fundraising page on her Instagram account. Per The Telegraph, the organisation is a branch of the UN that helps refugees in Palestine and is the largest employer in Gaza.
However, in January, Israel sent the US a dossier claiming that the agency had employed workers involved in the Hamas-led October 7 terrorist attacks. As a result of the accusation, the US and other countries stopped funding the organisation. NGO UN Watch slammed Emhoff for raising the funds, and she later removed the link from her Instagram page.
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Her big fashion moment
When asked about her debut for Balenciaga – her first show that was “semi-live” because of Covid-19 restrictions at the time – she admitted, “I am not really good at walking in heels,” per People magazine.
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A loyal following emerges
Now 24, Emhoff’s career has skyrocketed, with collaborations including Mulberry, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Miu Miu, Lacoste, Stella McCartney and Proenza Schouler under her belt. Not only did she sign with IMG Models after her big inauguration moment, but she also launched a limited knitwear collection with Batsheva Hay as a designer herself.
Finding love through fashion
Emhoff has been dating GQ fashion writer Sam Hine since she was 22. Together, they have become a powerhouse on the scene with their edgy looks, matching outfits and headline-grabbing style moments. But the model once told Vanity Fair that, despite the glam events they attend together, her ideal date is grocery shopping and cooking together.
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For someone who never considered herself stylish, as Emhoff explained in an interview with Elle, she has found freedom in being able to do what she loves while “being really comfortable in my own body”.
- Ella Emhoff is the daughter of Douglas Emhoff, who’s married to the US Vice-President Kamala Harris; the Gen Zer rose to fame after she wore a bejewelled Miu Miu jacket to Joe Biden’s inauguration
- The IMG model and fashion designer caused controversy for supporting UNRWA on Instagram, although she’s since taken the link down – Israel has claimed the agency employed members of Hamas