The Democratic National Convention came to a close on Thursday with fanfare, as Kamala Harris finally made her address to attendees.
Several members of Harris’ family also appeared onstage to share their stories of the vice president, including her niece Meena Harris, her goddaughter Helena Hudlin, and her stepdaughter Ella Emhoff.
Emhoff, 25, made multiple appearances at the DNC, but Thursday marked the first time she took to the stage herself — and she did it in a custom dress made by viral designer Joe Ando.
Ella Emhoff’s DNC look was custom
Emhoff, an artist, designer, and the internet’s beloved “First Daughter of Bushwick,” wore a tea-length gown for her DNC appearance.
The dress featured an asymmetrical, off-the-shoulder neckline, which flowed into a form-fitting, dropped-waist bodice.
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A white, full skirt contrasted with the sky-blue bodice, falling in pleats around Emhoff. The skirt’s pointed waist was also adorned with ruffles, giving it a feminine edge.
Emhoff accessorized the look with a pair of clear glasses, black Mary Jane shoes, and white socks that hit her mid-calf.
Ando custom-designed the dress for Emhoff, as he documented on his social media pages. He teased that he made Emhoff’s dress in a video in the days before her DNC appearance, in which he and Emhoff selected fabric for the piece.
Ando has nearly 3 million followers on both TikTok and Instagram, where he frequently documents himself designing pieces for celebrities, including Rachel Zegler and Dakota Johnson. He graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2020, and his career took off when he started sharing videos of his designs on social media over the last few years.
Ando told Business Insider in an email statement that a mutual friend connected him and Emhoff as she wanted to work with an independent designer for her DNC look.
“I’ve made dresses for so many different events and people, but this one felt so personal, and I really wanted to help Ella have her moment in an elegant way,” he said, describing the creation as collaborative. “We wanted it to feel like an elegant tea party but more modern and elevated.”
Ando said the dress took over 75 hours to make and that Emhoff crocheted the flower that sat on one sleeve herself.
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“We knew it would be a nice way to tie in Ella’s background as an artist,” Ando said.
“I thought she looked amazing and really pulled the entire look together,” he added. “I’m just grateful that she trusted me with this and included me in the experience.”
Emhoff commented on Ando’s Instagram video, “WE DID IT JOE!!!!!”
She did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
Emhoff is a burgeoning style icon
Emhoff’s DNC style started off more casual. On Monday, the first day of the convention, she appeared in a tank top and trousers from Helmut Lang paired with a camo “Harris Walz” hat.
Then, on Tuesday, she swapped her casual look for a designer ensemble, cheering on her dad in a plaid Thom Browne set, which she paired with a playful cookie-embossed purse from Puppets and Puppets.
Emhoff also toted disposable cameras as accessories on both Monday and Tuesday.
Outside the DNC, Emhoff’s presence in the fashion community has been growing in recent years.
She signed with IMG Models Worldwide in January 2021 after turning heads at President Joe Biden’s inauguration in a Miu Miu coat. She has since walked on runways for brands like Cecilie Bahnsen and Prabal Gurung, and she’s a frequent guest at Fashion Week events.
Emhoff has also been a vocal supporter and defender of her stepmother since her campaign began. Emhoff’s father, Doug Emhoff, married Harris in 2014, so Harris has been in her life since she was a teen.
“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 said of Harris’ impact on her teen years during her speech on Thursday night. “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.”
With her one-of-a-kind look for the convention, Emhoff is likely to sport more fashion-forward looks throughout Harris’ campaign.
