NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Washington, D.C., May 11, 2026: Social media creator Ella Devi says she has become the target of what she described as a “large-scale right-wing smear campaign” after her viral posts criticizing the outfit worn by the wife of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
In a video statement shared on X, Devi said she had “broken the news” that Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer Rauchet, appeared to be wearing a gown similar to designs sold on Chinese fast-fashion platforms Shein and Temu. Devi said she used reverse image searches to compare the dress with online listings and argued that the outfit raised ethical and political questions.
“If you’re married to the guy who takes an aggressive America First and anti-China stance in foreign policy, you should not be wearing clothing imported from China,” Devi said in the post.
Her commentary quickly went viral, sparking intense debate online and drawing criticism from conservative commentators, some of whom accused the teen influencer of hypocrisy and fashion elitism. Several right-wing media outlets also picked up the story, amplifying the backlash.
Devi, however, pushed back against the criticism, saying attempts to discredit her had failed. “It’s not working, because I look really cool on this,” she said in her follow-up post.
The controversy has further boosted Devi’s profile in political and fashion circles. In a recent profile, Dazed described her as either “an 18-year-old fashion intern from New York City, or the MAGA Right’s worst nightmare,” noting her growing online following and her blend of fashion commentary and left-leaning political content.
According to the profile, Devi first gained wider attention during the New York mayoral campaign for supporting Zohran Mamdani, earning media attention from conservative outlets, including the New York Post.
Ella Devi is a fashion creator and political commentator based in New York City. A student at The New School and Parsons, Devi has been working in fashion since her early teens. She currently works with luxury designer label LaQuan Smith, where she has been involved in sales operations and behind-the-scenes work during New York Fashion Week. Blending fashion analysis with outspoken progressive politics, Devi has built a growing social media following, positioning herself at the intersection of style, culture, and political commentary.
Cover photo courtesy: Ella Devi/Instagram.
