Gio Ramos Isn’t Afraid to Take Up Space

How did you get your start in social media and in fashion?

It started off from just being bored in a way. 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.

Your career has taken off tremendously in the last few years. How do you reflect on your younger self, and how do you think she feels about where you are now?

I'm thankful for my younger self. 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.

What are you wearing every day this summer? And what are you wearing on your feet specifically?

Of course, I'm wearing adidas XLG. You know, got to stay comfortable. Got to stay grounded.

Are you someone who gravitates towards maximalism, minimalism, or is it dependent on your mood? 

It really depends on my mood. 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.

Lately, it seems like you're bicoastal. Moving around New York, ATL, and LA. What differences do you notice in the US cities in terms of fashion?

It's a huge difference, but it's also not at the same time. 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.

Every day on TikTok and Instagram, people are trying to find their style—and there's hundreds of influencers giving out tips and tricks on how to find it. What is your number one advice for those who are still trying to figure it out?

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. So 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.

The Adistar XLG is a sneaker that doesn't apologize for taking up space. It's quite chunky. It's big. It's noticeable. Does that energy of taking up space feel natural to you or is that something that you feel like you had to grow into? 

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. 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.

adidas has been a part of the culture for over 70 years. It's a legacy brand for a lot of us growing up in street culture, in cities and even suburban towns, and somehow it still feels current. What is your favorite part of your new relationship with adidas? 

My favorite part about working with adidas is that they let me be myself creatively. 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. 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. 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.

Has there been any part of the adidas Adistar XLG 2.0 campaign, or the PAPER photoshoot, where you felt like you were able to use your voice in that way?

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.