Gorgeous Ella Gaines Shows Glimpse Of Her Face In Mom Joanna's Video On Their Girls' Trip
HGTV star Joanna Gaines is sharing a rare glimpse into her daughters' private lives on her Instagram. She rose to fame on "Fixer Upper" with her husband Chip Gaines in 2013, so the pair is used to being in the public eye. However, the TV couple had decided that they wanted something different for their children. The couple shares five children together – Drake, Ella, Duke, Emmie, and Crew Gaines — and they've totally transformed. Even though the children appeared in their television shows when they were young, the couple later decided to prioritize their privacy and keep their faces hidden.
That is why fans were surprised to see Joanna post an Instagram reel showing her daughters on a trip to England on August 19. "Finally got to the English countryside with my girls. ... It was all such a dream," she captioned the video on Instagram. The video featured a quick glimpse of her eldest daughter, Ella, at 19 years old. While users can only see Ella's light auburn hair that looks longer than ever and her cute side profile, it is evident that she has grown up to be gorgeous.
Ella Gaines has kept a low public profile after graduating high school and enrolling in Parsons School of Design at the New School in New York City in 2025. She decided she wanted to carve out her own path instead of relying on the family name. "She's excited about going somewhere and just being known for her," Joanna told People in 2025. She's like, 'I don't want anyone knowing that you're ... I just want to go and be myself.'"
Fans were happy to see a glimpse of Ella Gaines
The reel, consisting of photos and clips of the trip, showed a few other glimpses of Ella's face, but always obscured, often by a camera she was holding — it seems that she has quite a love of photography. As one of the rare times we've seen Chip and Joanna Gaines' oldest daughter, the Instagram reel showcasing the beauty of Ella Gaines was met with praise and enthusiasm. The Gaines women's hair stole the show as it blew in the English wind throughout the video. "Love this! And the genes are strong with yalls pretty matching hair," one user commented on the post.
The rare insight also had some fans questioning Joanna's decision to hide her daughters' faces. "We saw your young kids close up on fixer upper. Would love to see them all grown up. Why hide their faces now but not then?" one Instagram user commented on the reel. Others came to Joanna and Chip's defense on protecting their children's privacy on social media. "I was an Emmy fan, she was so cute and would really like to see her grown up but on the other hand respect the family's choice." another user responded to the comment.
It's possible that Joanna's willingness to show glimpses of Ella is because she's no longer a child. While Emmie, 16, was also on the trip, Joanna took more care to cover her face in the reel. It's possible, then, that fans might see more of the Gaines kids as they grow older.