While rumors swirled that Taylor Swift and Beyoncé would take the stage as “surprise guests” during the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, there was someone else everyone had their eyes on: Ella Emhoff.
The 25-year-old daughter of Kamala Harris’ husband and Second Gentleman Doug addressed the crowd, along with the Democratic presidential candidate’s niece, Meena, and her goddaughter Helena Hudlin.
Emhoff spoke lovingly last night about her stepmother, or as she calls her, “Momala,” praising her as “patient” and “caring.”
But while Harris and her husband were proud of Emhoff for her adoring speech, there was one person who would have been even more excited to see her on stage: her seamstress, 28-year-old Joe Ando-Hirsh.
Ando-Hirsh, a former actor and designer who once starred in the popular series The Walking Dead, was the genius behind Emhoff’s look for the final night of the DNC, where she wowed in a beautifully designed gown, complete with matching white socks and black Mary Jane-style ballet flats.
While rumors swirled about surprise performances from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé at the DNC on Thursday night, there was someone else everyone had their eyes on: Ella Emhoff
Emhoff stood next to the Democratic presidential candidate’s niece, Meena (center), and goddaughter Helena Hudlin
The beautiful garment consisted of a light blue off-the-shoulder top with a carefully knitted floral motif by Emhoff himself on the right sleeve – perfectly in line with the official color of the Democratic Party.
The bottom of the dress featured more playful elements, such as a dropped tulle waist with scalloped edges that transitioned into a full, white pleated skirt.
The young woman, who has gone viral in the past for her daring looks, brought it all together with a sleek, slicked-back bun and her signature wire-rimmed glasses.
Of course, Ando-Hirsh watched the whole thing, and he even said: went to his Instagram last night to share his reaction to the special moment.
He posted a cute video of himself watching Emhoff take the stage on his own television screen. In the caption he wrote: ‘I’m watching a dress you made on national television.’
Ando-Hirsh made the music video based on Miley Cyrus’ hit “Party in the USA,” as he jumps enthusiastically from the couch with his fist in the air.
Emhoff herself left Ando-Hirsh a comment on the clip, writing, “WE DID IT JOE!!!!!” — a hilarious reference to her stepmother’s reaction when she won the 2020 election alongside President Joe Biden.
Amazingly, Ando-Hirsh only had a week to make the dress because he was busy with other projects, the designer told DailyMail.com via email on Friday.
“Like a lot of young people, I didn’t always understand what I was feeling, but no matter what, Kamala was there for me,” Emhoff told the audience of Kamala Harris, who married Doug in 2014.
The bottom of the dress featured some playful elements, such as a dropped tulle waist with scalloped edges that transitioned into a full, white pleated skirt
Ando-Hirsh posted a cute video of himself watching Emhoff take the stage on his own TV, captioning it, “Watching a dress you made on national TV”
“I worked about 15 hours a day for a week, which consisted of creative development, draping, pattern making, sewing, trial and error and fitting with Ella,” he said, describing Emhoff as “amazing.”
“We really wanted it to feel like an elegant tea party, but modern and stylish,” Ando-Hirsh told DailyMail.com.
He explained that Emhoff wanted to work with an “independent designer” and “thought it would be a really creative process,” which it was.
“Ella was so happy with it and really felt passionate about the entire design process from start to finish,” Ando-Hirsh said.
“It was amazing to see her go on stage, she looked perfect! The dress really reflected her style and she really stood out in such a stylish way.”
Ando-Hirsh documented himself making the dress on both his TikTok and Instagram pages, as he showed Emhoff in his studio selecting fabric for what he called a ‘historical dress’.
Doug and ex-girlfriend Kerstin’s daughter, a Parsons School of Design graduate, is also an artist who makes her own knitted creations, which she often shows on social media.
But Emhoff, who modeled for Proenza Schouler and Miu Miu, is not the only prominent public figure for whom Ando-Hirsh has created designs.
Emhoff herself left Ando-Hirsh a comment on the clip, writing, “WE DID IT JOE!!!!!” — a hilarious reference to her stepmother’s reaction to winning the 2020 election alongside President Biden
Ando-Hirsh has worked his magic on pieces for Dakota Johnson (above), Keke Palmer, Rachel Zegler and Millie Bobby Brown, as well as influencers like Haley Kalil and Erika Titus
In addition to his work as a designer, Ando-Hirsh is also a popular content creator, with nearly three million followers on his TikTok account and two million followers on Instagram
He has also designed clothes for actresses such as Dakota Johnson, Keke Palmer, Rachel Zegler and Millie Bobby Brown, and for influencers such as Haley Kalil and Erika Titus.
Ando-Hirsh, who studied womenswear at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, seems to incorporate different fabrics into his designs, working with silk, tulle and lace, among other materials.
In addition to his work as a designer, Ando-Hirsh is also a popular content creator, with nearly three million followers on his website. TikTok account and more than two million followers on Instagram.
He has gone viral for his tailoring series, where he asks people, “Can I make you a dress?” and shows off his stunning designs.
In addition to his videos about his designs, Ando-Hirsh also makes short films about his daily life and his family. He was recently featured in Vogue Italy for his work.
And if that wasn’t enough, the 28-year-old is also an actor, having played Rodney on The Walking Dead and the CBS action series Macgyver.
He even appeared in commercials for the popular insurance company State Farm and Hasbro Toys.
But in the end, it seems that fashion design is his passion after all.
Emhoff is a designer herself, as she shows her crocheted and knitted creations all the time on her Instagram
Emhoff explained during her speech at the convention that Harris first came into her life when she was just 14, a challenging time in the life of any young teen.
He told Forbes Last year he said his “true aesthetic” was a cross between “preppy” and “kitschy.”
“I love giving someone a personalized piece of clothing and seeing how they react to something that no one else has,” he told the outlet at the time.
‘I’m happiest when I see someone wearing something I’ve made more than once, even if it’s a casual, everyday part of their wardrobe.’
And while it’s unclear whether Emhoff will wear Ando-Hirsh’s dress again, it’s clear that her look and her appearance on stage made for a memorable moment.
During her speech at the convention, she explained that Harris first came into her life when she was just 14, a challenging time in the life of any young teenager.
“Like many young people, I didn’t always understand what I was feeling, but no matter what, Kamala was there for me,” Emhoff told the audience about her stepmother.
“She never stopped listening to me and she will never stop listening to any of us.”