Joe Ando Admits His Viral Social Media Presence Has 'Stunted' His Fashion Design Career in Some Ways (Exclusive)
- - Joe Ando Admits His Viral Social Media Presence Has 'Stunted' His Fashion Design Career in Some Ways (Exclusive)
Zoey LyttleFebruary 17, 2026 at 1:00 AM
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Joe Ando
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Joe Ando has built a viral social media presence with his dressmaking talent, which has driven his content creation for years
He's amassed over 5.8 million followers by sharing videos of sewing garments for celebrities like Millie Bobby Brown, Dakota Johnson and more
Speaking to PEOPLE to share the news of his H&R Block collaboration with reality star Serena Page, Ando reflects on his future in the fashion world and social media game
Joe Ando made his name on social media by asking celebrities his now-famous line: "Can I make you a dress?"
Over the years, Ando has sewn gowns for the likes of Dakota Johnson, Millie Bobby Brown and Kamala Harris' stepdaughter Ella Emhoff, who wore her Ando-made frock to the 2024 Democratic National Convention. His videos — many of which offer behind-the-scenes looks at his design process — garnered him a massive following, with 2.7 million followers on Instagram and 3.1 million on TikTok.
Having established himself as one of the top content creators in the digital fashion world, Ando continues to reflect on his future. Currently, his career straddles the line between social media stardom and garment design. Speaking to PEOPLE to share the news of his H&R Block collaboration with reality star Serena Page, Ando explains how he views his success through a similarly dual lens.
Joe Ando
Joe Ando
"I can't lie, it's obviously super great and exciting and helpful to be able to have an audience to make things in front of who are just like — even if the thing isn't your best work — they're just enthusiastic about the effort," he shares. "It's put me in places where I've been able to make things for certain events or people ... That would have never happened unless I had some form of a platform to even connect with these people to start a conversation, to then work on something that is for them."
The FIT graduate continues, "And then there's the other side of it ... You're trying to keep up, and you don't know where to put your brain."
Joe Ando
Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Warner Bros.
Ando notes that a traditional "pure fashion designer" tends to work exclusively behind the scenes, only appearing when the actual product debuts. That style allows the artist to focus on studying and working on their craft.
"For me, having to constantly try and keep up with this machine and keep that enthusiasm up for making things — even if it means sometimes things are rushed — it can be stunting," Ando explains.
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He says there have been moments when he feels inclined to step back and sharpen his sewing skills, but he's also felt the pressure to stay on top of ever-changing trends and the demands of the digital landscape.
"Sometimes you just get a little stunted into not knowing where your values are at. Is it actually about becoming better at this thing, or are you just trying to keep up this platform kind of thing?" the viral creator admits. "It's awkward."
This year, Ando is committed to prioritizing "learning more rather than trying to keep up with the machine," he tells PEOPLE, further explaining, "Learning more about how to make better things, how to make better dresses, and take that into making better things overall."
He's also interested in experimenting at the intersection of fashion and art. For example, he's currently trying to craft a "lantern dress" made entirely of bamboo and paper. It'll be like a Noguchi lamp, says Ando: "Imagine that, but bump the scale up times eight and put it on a person," he teases.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
