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While Ella Emhoff, aka Kamala Harris’s stepdaughter, has long been a style star in the making, she took the internet by storm on Inauguration Day when she showed up to the event in a plaid, crystal-embellished Miu Miu coat that stood out in a sea of monochromatic outfits. Apparently, we weren’t the only ones wowed by her effortless fashion sense: the 21-year-old just signed with IMG Models, the modeling agency that reps the likes of Gigi Hadid, Halima Aden, Hailey Bieber, and Ashley Graham.
“As someone who, like a lot of young girls out there, had self-confidence issues, it is intimidating and scary to go into this world that is hyper-focused on you and the body.”
Ella, who’s currently a fashion student at the Parsons School of Design in NYC, had been modeling on and off for the past year, but never saw it as “being part of [her] timeline,” she shared with The New York Times on Jan. 28. “As someone who, like a lot of young girls out there, had self-confidence issues, it is intimidating and scary to go into this world that is hyper-focused on you and the body,” she said, explaining that she reconsidered the opportunity after realizing she could be “part of the change” of the diverse models we see today, with her “really weird tattoos and kind of a funky haircut.”
The news comes just a few days after 22-year-old poet Amanda Gorman, who made headlines on Inauguration Day for her inspiring poem and the gorgeous Prada coat she wore while reciting it, also signed with IMG. While Ella is certainly excited “to bring a bit of Bushwick into the high fashion realm,” she’s also looking forward to using her bigger platform for philanthropic opportunities, like knitwear fundraising. “I’m excited to share a lot of things I really care about, and do some good,” she said.
