Executive Overview
For model, digital pioneer, and cultural fixture Giovanna “Gio” Ramos, the concept of a routine simply does not exist. On any given Tuesday, she might be found commanding a high-concept fashion spread with PAPER magazine in New York City, turning heads on a red carpet in Los Angeles, or dropping pearls of wisdom during a live-streamed broadcast from Atlanta. Wherever she touches down, Ramos moves with an undeniable "It-girl" aura, effortlessly blending high fashion with raw, unapologetic street culture. Sporting her signature silver grills and styling them with the freshest iterations of legacy footwear, Ramos embodies a new vanguard of digital-age tastemakers who refuse to be boxed into traditional industry definitions.
At just 26 years old, Ramos has cultivated an expansive, fiercely loyal following numbering over one million supporters across social media platforms. Her digital footprint, however, is merely a byproduct of her magnetic real-world presence. She operates within the inner sanctum of contemporary culture, maintaining close personal and professional proximities to some of music and art’s most influential heavyweights, including Drake, Latto, Lil Yachty, and Mariah the Scientist.
Now, this distinct cultural currency has culminated in a high-profile creative partnership with global sportswear titan adidas, centered around the highly anticipated relaunch of the Adistar XLG 2.0. Blending the comforting nostalgia of late-2000s running aesthetics with a thoroughly modern, chunky silhouette that demands attention, the sneaker serves as a physical manifestation of Ramos’ own personal ethos: unapologetically taking up space. In an exclusive interview, Ramos sat down with PAPER to discuss her remarkable journey from Brazil to the epicenter of American fashion, the realities of growing up in the public eye, and why authenticity remains the ultimate currency in an oversaturated digital landscape.
Detailed Chronology: From Boredom in Brazil to Bicoastal Stardom
The narrative of Gio Ramos’ ascent is one defined by organic evolution rather than a calculated corporate blueprint. More than a decade ago, Ramos made a life-altering transatlantic move, transitioning from her home country of Brazil to the United States. Thrust into a new environment, she had to navigate cultural shifts, linguistic adaptations, and the complexities of adolescent identity—foundational experiences that ultimately forged her resilient exterior.
Her entry into the worlds of social media and fashion did not stem from a grand design, but rather from the universal catalyst of youth: boredom.
"It started off from just being bored in a way," Ramos reflects, looking back on her early digital output. "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."
As her digital presence snowballed over the subsequent years, Ramos transitioned from an observer of culture to an active participant and catalyst within it. Her bicoastal lifestyle—shuttling fluidly between the cultural hubs of New York, Atlanta, and Los Angeles—has given her a panoramic view of American style evolution. When asked about the regional nuances of fashion across these powerhouse cities, Ramos points to a unifying thread beneath surface-level differences.
"It’s a huge difference, but it’s also not at the same time," Ramos 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."
Reflecting on the whirlwind trajectory of her career over the past few years, Ramos displays a grounded sense of self-awareness. When prompted to consider how her younger self might view her current standing—gracing magazine covers, walking major carpets, and collaborating with heritage athletic brands—she expresses profound gratitude for the missteps that shaped her.
"I’m thankful for my younger self," she says. "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."
Supporting Context & Metrics: The Philosophy of Maximalism and the Adistar XLG 2.0
To understand Gio Ramos’ stylistic signature is to understand the delicate dance between maximalism and intentional restraint. In an era where digital feeds are flooded with clean-girl aesthetics and minimalist uniform dressing, Ramos marches to the beat of her own heavily accessorized drum—though she insists it is entirely dependent on her daily disposition.
"It really depends on my mood," Ramos notes. "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."
This multifaceted approach to personal style mirrors the design philosophy behind her latest collaboration. The adidas Adistar XLG 2.0 is a footwear silhouette that deliberately eschews subtlety. Chunky, bold, and visually commanding, it is a sneaker designed for individuals who refuse to blend into the background. For Ramos, embodying that exact energetic frequency—learning to take up space without apology—was a psychological hurdle she had to clear as she established herself in professional creative spaces.
"Definitely something that I had to grow into 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," she admits. "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."
Navigating the Noise: Style Advice for the Digital Generation
With hundreds of thousands of style influencers populating TikTok and Instagram daily, offering algorithmic formulas for personal style, consumers are increasingly overwhelmed by prescriptive fashion advice. Ramos, refreshingly, offers no quick fixes or rigid blueprints for style discovery. Instead, her counsel is rooted in trial, error, and radical self-exploration.
"The crazy part is, I never have advice for these people," Ramos laughs. "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 emphasizes that mistakes are an essential component of the creative process, drawing a direct parallel between culinary exploration and fashion curation.
"I always tell people that they need to try things out until they feel like, ‘Okay, I’ve got somewhere that I’m comfortable with,’ and then you expand from there. 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."
Official Statements: The adidas Partnership and Creative Autonomy
For over seven decades, adidas has functioned as an undisputed pillar of global street culture. From the concrete landscapes of inner-city metropolises to the unassuming cul-de-sacs of suburban towns, the brand’s legacy is woven into the very fabric of youth culture. Yet, despite its sprawling corporate heritage, adidas maintains a rare agility—the ability to continually pivot, resonate with contemporary youth, and feel effortlessly current season after season.
Central to this ongoing cultural relevance is the brand’s partnership strategy, which prioritizes authentic synergy over transactional endorsement. For Ramos, the partnership with adidas represents a harmonious alignment of values, rooted above all in creative freedom and mutual respect.
"My favorite part about working with adidas is that they let me be myself creatively," Ramos shares with 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 philosophy of inclusion extended directly to the physical production of the Adistar XLG 2.0 campaign and its accompanying editorial features. In an industry where talent is frequently treated as a passive mannequin, Ramos notes that her voice, comfort, and creative instincts were actively consulted at every stage of the process.
"I like always being in touch with what I’m doing. I like being able to voice things and being able to be part of it," she explains. "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."
Elaborating on the collaborative energy of the PAPER photoshoot and campaign rollout, Ramos confirms that this supportive dynamic was palpable throughout production. "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: Redefining the Parameters of Influence
As Gio Ramos looks toward the horizon, her trajectory signals a significant shift in how modern stardom is constructed and sustained. In an era increasingly fatigued by hyper-curated, sanitized digital personas, Ramos cuts through the noise via unyielding authenticity, cultural fluency, and a refusal to shrink herself to fit institutional molds.
The successful launch of the adidas Adistar XLG 2.0 campaign marks not a peak, but a milestone in an evolving career that bridges the gap between digital-native influence and high-fashion institutional validation. By remaining firmly rooted in her communities across New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and beyond—while honoring the immigrant journey that brought her to the United States a decade ago—Ramos has established a blueprint for modern cultural longevity.
As brands increasingly seek out authentic storytellers rather than passive billboards, figures like Gio Ramos prove that the future belongs to those who possess a distinct point of view, a commitment to creative autonomy, and, above all else, the courage to unapologetically take up space.
Production & Editorial Credits
- 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
