Kamala Harris' Stepdaughter Ella Emhoff Makes New York Fashion Week Debut

Vice President Kamala Harris's stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, is making waves! The daughter of Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff made her modeling debut at New York Fashion Week, walking in the Proenza Schouler socially distanced presentation on Thursday. The 21-year-old donned some stylish winter looks designed by Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, who claimed that the line was "created to comfort, inspire and empower the modern-day woman."

Emhoff signed with IMG Models shortly after the Inauguration, where she gained the notice of fashionistas with her iconic Miu Miu coat. Ivan Bart, the president of IMG Models, told The New York Times, "it's not really about shape, size or gender anymore." Bart explained that Emhoff, who is a senior at Parsons School of Design in New York City studying fine arts with a focus on textiles, "communicates this moment in time. There's a cheekiness and a joy she exudes."

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"I was pretty surprised when everything with IMG was happening because when I was younger, I never saw that as being part of my timeline," Emhoff told the New York Times. "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." Emhoff also hopes to promote a sea change in diversity in modeling, because she has "really weird tattoos and kind of a funky haircut."

Ultimately, Emhoff explains that she wants to use her platform to do good. "There are a lot of people out there that need a lot of help," she explained. "If I can do anything to help with that, I want to, and I think this opportunity will be really beneficial toward that."

Emhoff, who is an activist and artist, has spoken warmly about her relationship with Harris, who she and her brother, Cole, refer to as "Momala." Emhoff explained that Harris and her biological parents, Doug and Kerstin Emhoff, were a very harmonious unit when it came to raising the kids. "They have good communication between the three of them," Emhoff told the New York Times in January. "They are really a unit, like a three-person parenting squad. It's really cool."