Executive Overview
In the fast-paced, hyper-visual ecosystem of modern culture, few digital stars navigate the intersecting worlds of high fashion, music, and social media with the effortless poise of Giovanna “Gio” Ramos. At just 26 years old, the Brazilian-born creator boasts a digital footprint of over one million followers, an inner circle featuring some of the most influential names in contemporary music—including Drake, Latto, Lil Yachty, and Mariah the Scientist—and an unmistakable "it-girl" aura that commands attention wherever she goes. Whether she is stepping onto a red carpet in Los Angeles, collaborating on an editorial shoot with PAPER in New York, or engaging with fans via livestream from Atlanta, Ramos moves through the cultural zeitgeist with signature silver grills and a fresh pair of sneakers.
Now, Ramos is cementing her status as a bona fide style icon through a high-profile partnership with sportswear legacy brand adidas, celebrating the relaunch of the chunky, nostalgia-infused Adistar XLG 2.0. More than just a standard brand endorsement, this collaboration represents a meeting of minds between a 70-year-old sportswear institution and a boundary-pushing digital native who refuses to shrink herself for the room. In an exclusive interview and editorial feature with PAPER, Ramos opens up about her unpredictable bicoastal lifestyle, the evolution of her maximalist aesthetic, the lessons learned from early digital missteps, and what it truly means to take up space in an industry designed to intimidate newcomers.
Detailed Chronology: From Boredom in Brazil to Bicoastal Stardom
To understand Gio Ramos today, one must look back at her trajectory over the past decade. More than ten years ago, Ramos packed her bags and moved from Brazil to the United States, stepping into a vastly different cultural and social landscape. Like many immigrants navigating a new home, she had to adapt quickly, learning the nuances of American youth culture while figuring out where she fit into the creative puzzle.
Her entry into the worlds of social media and fashion did not stem from a calculated master plan or a corporate strategy deck. Instead, it began with a universal human catalyst: boredom.
"It started off from just being bored in a way," Ramos recalls when asked about her origins on social platforms. "Just posting things that I thought were cool, and then I realized certain things that I did post made people want to see more. So I just started going towards that side and then trying new things out until eventually I found a lane that I liked and I just kept doing it until it worked out."
That organic trial-and-error period catalyzed a meteoric rise. Over the last few years, Ramos’s digital presence accelerated dramatically, bridging the gap between digital influencer status and authentic proximity to music royalty. Yet, when reflecting on her rapid ascent and the younger self who navigated those early uncertainties, Ramos maintains a deep sense of gratitude. Rather than wishing she had avoided early mistakes, she views them as fundamental building blocks of her current success.
"I’m thankful for my younger self," she reflects. "I feel like a lot of the mistakes that I made got me where I’m at right now. So I feel like without her, I wouldn’t be here right now."
That resilience has translated into a dynamic, bicoastal lifestyle that keeps her constantly moving between America’s cultural epicenters: New York City, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. When asked about the distinct fashion identities of these cities, Ramos notes both their stark contrasts and their underlying cultural threads.
"It’s a huge difference, but it’s also not at the same time," she explains. "All these states somehow are connected whether it is old school style like in Texas [where] everybody wears gold and grills. Same thing in Atlanta. Everybody got grills. It’s part of their outfits, part of their culture. In Miami, everybody got permanent, actual gold teeth. Every state is connected in some way. They all just express their art in a different way."
Supporting Context & Metrics: The Philosophy of Maximalism and Style Exploration
In an era where TikTok and Instagram feeds are saturated with hundreds of self-proclaimed style gurus offering rigid formulas for “finding your aesthetic,” Ramos offers a refreshingly chaotic, unvarnished piece of advice: abandon perfectionism and be willing to fail publicly.
When queried about her number-one tip for those struggling to pin down their personal style, Ramos debases the myth of instant sartorial enlightenment:
"The crazy part is, I never have advice for these people. I just usually tell them that in order for you to find out your style, you will have to try 300 times before you find it. I can’t tell you how to dress. I can give you places to go shop at, but I can’t tell you how to dress because certain things that look good on me aren’t things that will look good on you. You might not like it, it might not be your swag."
She speaks from personal experience, openly admitting to past wardrobe experiments that missed the mark. "I’ve had outfits that are like, ‘What the hell am I wearing?’. But I had to try it in order for me to figure out, ‘Okay, I don’t really like how this looks on me.’ It’s like food. You would never know what you like unless you try it out."
This experimental ethos directly influences her approach to accessories and clothing silhouettes. While many influencers lean heavily into clean-girl minimalism, Ramos operates in a fluid space dictated entirely by her internal state.
"It really depends on my mood," she shares. "I’ve been on some minimalistic vibe, but normally, I’m wearing five different gold chains. I’m wearing five bracelets on one side, five on the other side. My fingers, every finger got a ring on. I’m always maximalizing, but I try to keep a balance between my outfit. So, if I have a lot of accessories on, I usually go for a basic outfit. But sometimes I just feel like being classy and very clean or very chic. Or I feel like going full weird full-blown streetwear."
Grounding the Look: The adidas Adistar XLG 2.0
That balancing act finds its ultimate footwear expression in the adidas Adistar XLG 2.0. Blending late-90s and early-2000s running shoe nostalgia with contemporary streetwear sensibilities, the Adistar XLG series is designed for individuals who refuse to blend into the background. It is chunky, oversized, and unabashedly noticeable—making it the ideal uniform anchor for Ramos’s eclectic wardrobe.
"Of course, I’m wearing adidas XLG," she says when asked about her summer daily wear. "You know, got to stay comfortable. Got to stay grounded."
This physical sense of "grounding" mirrors her internal journey with confidence. The Adistar XLG is a sneaker that doesn’t apologize for taking up space, prompting a deeper question about whether that energy has always felt natural to Ramos or if it was a muscle she had to build over time.
"Definitely something that I had to grow into," she admits candidly. "Because when you’re new in the industry or start a new job you can feel small because you’re trying to understand things happening around you. You’re trying to navigate and fit in and absorb as much information as you can until you get to a point where it’s like, ‘Okay, cool. I’m good at this.’ And you start taking up space. You start being more comfortable with what you’re doing. And I feel like that’s where the energy comes from."
Official Statements: The adidas Partnership and Creative Autonomy
For over seven decades, adidas has maintained an unshakeable foothold in global street culture, seamlessly translating its athletic heritage into a canvas for subcultures, urban communities, and suburban youth alike. Yet, maintaining relevancy across generations requires more than just retro re-releases; it demands authentic partnerships with modern cultural architects.
For Ramos, the partnership with adidas works precisely because the brand honors her individuality rather than attempting to mold her into a corporate archetype.
"My favorite part about working with adidas is that they let me be myself creatively," Ramos told PAPER. "They don’t put a specific rule on me. They don’t want me to be a specific person. They like me for who I am and they want me to bring whatever I have to offer to the table so that we could always work together. And I like that about them."
This collaborative spirit extended directly onto the set of her exclusive PAPER magazine photoshoot and campaign for the Adistar XLG 2.0. In an industry where talent is frequently treated as a passive mannequin, Ramos emphasizes that adidas and the production team ensured her voice was heard at every turn.
"I like always being in touch with what I’m doing," she continues. "I like being able to voice things and being able to be part of it. adidas is always making sure that I like things and that I feel comfortable. Do I like this outfit? Do I not like these pictures? I like being part of it. I like that adidas is always making sure I feel included. That’s a huge thing for me at all times, and they always make sure I’m comfortable on set. They always make sure I have everything that I need at all times. That’s the number one thing for me."
When asked specifically about the campaign experience, she reiterates: "Oh, definitely. Throughout the whole time, they were always asking me if I was comfortable. If I wanted to change anything about it, or if I wanted to add anything. They were always making sure that I felt comfortable with what I was putting on… I really like that. So, it was really fun actually."
Future Outlook
As Gio Ramos looks toward the horizon, her trajectory signals a shifting paradigm in how digital creators transition into long-term cultural forces. By refusing to compromise her eccentric maximalism, staying grounded in her immigrant roots, and partnering with legacy powerhouses like adidas that value authentic creative expression, Ramos is writing her own rulebook.
The relaunch of the Adistar XLG 2.0 marks just one chapter in an ongoing story. Whether she is curating looks across New York, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, expanding her digital empire, or continuing to run with culture’s biggest tastemakers, Ramos has proven one thing unequivocally: she is here, she is comfortable, and she is never afraid to take up space.
Editorial Credits & Production Team
- Story Collaboration: PAPER x adidas
- Chief Creative Officer: Brian Calle
- President: Jason Ve
- Executive Creative Director: Jordan Bradfield
- VP of Brand Partnerships: Jamie Granoff
- Fashion Director: Angelina Cantú
- Executive Producer: Aya Sloan
- Senior Editor: Joan Summers
- Senior Creative Strategist: Aires Amor
- Photography: Danica Robinson
- Story by: Monique Wilson
- Styling: Dot Bass
- Hair & Makeup Artist: Jeannette Williams
- Set Designer: Kelsey Walsh
- Lighting: Richard Saralertsophon
- Digital Technician: Jaison Lin
- Photo Assistant: Luke Rogers
- Set Assistant: Jess McIntire
- Production Assistant: Emnet Simunyola
- Styling Assistants: Kyle Gleason, Dominic Turiczek, Castle Garland
- Location: Splashlight Studios
- Graphic Design: Composite Co
