She saved the best for last.
Brooklynite Ella Emhoff wowed the crowd on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, taking the podium in a powder blue and white couture dress to sing the praises of her stepmom — Kamala Harris.
The speech was heartfelt, but Emhoff’s ethereal off-the-shoulder number — which featured a pastel blue, drop waisted bodice and a white skirt with a mid-calf hemline — wound up stealing the show.
And while the Democratic nominee kept it safe with pantsuits by Chloé, Emhoff’s one-of-a-kind gown, lauded as the “best dress at the DNC” by one critic, turned out to be the handiwork of work of an up-and-coming TikTokker — also living in the Big Apple.
Joe Ando-Hirsh, who graduated the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2020, collaborated with Emhoff on the show-stopping frock, calling the project “an amazing experience,” in an interview with The Post.
“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,” Ando-Hirsh said.
While Emhoff has previously worn the work of acclaimed fashion houses like Helmut Lang and Thom Browne, she reached out to Ando-Hirsh ahead of the DNC to create a custom piece, aiming for “an elegant, tea party-themed look” but “more modern and elevated,” the designer said.
Ando-Hirsh teased his buzzy client on social media in the days leading up to the big reveal, suggesting that this one might be his favorite thus far — despite previously creating garments for stars like Dakota Johnson, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Millie Bobby Brown and Rachel Zegler.
The daughter of Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, who has been called “The First Daughter of Bushwick,” has become something of a Gen Z fashion icon — in part due to her eclectic personal style and involvement in the fashion industry as a model, artist and avid knitter.
The 25-year-old attracted the attention of viewers throughout the week with her various and varied looks — but nothing like this.
“When I saw her come onto the stage I let out a huge sigh of relief,” said Ando-Hirsh, who met his latest muse through a mutual friend. “I thought she looked amazing and really pulled the entire look together.”
On TikTok, viewers raved about the fab frock.
“I could not take my eyes off her dress!! She looked stunning!! She’s a free spirit and the dress shows that!! Good job,” said one armchair critic.
“Omg I was wondering who designed it and you pop up on my FYP! You did amazing, sweetie!” cheered another.
The buzzy gown required approximately 75 to 90 hours to create, from the development stage to draping, patterning, sewing and fittings, Ando-Hirsh explained.
Emhoff even added her own personal flair to the garment, crocheting the flower embellishing her arm.
“When it comes to making dresses with details like tulle and using princess-like colors, you have to be really specific about the design, in order to stay away from it reading as a costume,” the designer noted, adding that there was a lot of trial and error during the meticulous creation process.
“The muted tones on the dress really helped her pop out effortlessly while looking so elegant,” he said.
