By Dara Clariza Evangelista
Every once in a while, a designer pops up who just feels different, like their work isn’t only about clothes, but about people and stories too. And that’s exactly what Joe Ando-Hirsh is doing right now. To be honest, I find myself constantly going back to his dresses.
He’s not just some fashion kid who got lucky on TikTok. He’s a legit FIT grad who turned a canceled Marc Jacobs internship and a pandemic into this wild, couture-meets-viral career. Now he’s dressing everyone from Keke Palmer to Laufey, and honestly? Every single piece looks like it was made to make someone feel like the main character.
My Favorite Joe Ando-Hirsh Dresses
1. Pokimane’s Floral Dream
This one just makes me smile. A bubblegum-pink mini dress completely covered in little blossoms, like she walked straight out of a flower field. The flowers climb up her arms, spill across her chest, and scatter on the skirt. It’s playful but still couture-level detailed.
To be honest, I really love how Joe can take something that could feel “costumey” on paper and make it look chic and effortless. Poki looked like a living bouquet, and I keep going back to those photos just to stare at the details.
2. Keyla’s Ombré Fairytale
This is one of my all-time favorite Joe stories. He made this gown, a soft pink ombré ballgown that fades from white to blush, for a movie premiere. But when that fell through, he just… gave it to a girl he met at a grocery store. Keyla, who’s training to be a baker, ended up looking like a total princess.
The strapless top and dreamy tulle skirt were already gorgeous, but the story behind it makes it even better. To me, this moment proves Joe isn’t just about celebrities, he wants real people to feel beautiful too.
3. Hannah Stocking’s Ombre Subway Moment
I can’t stop thinking about this grey ombré gown Hannah Stocking wore. The top has this scalloped detail with a little cutout at the waist, and the whole skirt pleats down into a perfect fade from ivory to charcoal. It looks like liquid smoke. The best part?
They shot it in the subway. Like, a literal train station. And somehow the gown made the whole place look like a fashion editorial. Only Joe could make a New York commute feel like couture.
4. Laufey’s Golden Glow
This yellow gown on Laufey was straight-up Belle from Beauty and the Beast, but make it modern. Off-shoulder, super structured top with a huge golden tulle skirt that glowed in every photo.
I love how Joe picked this soft pastel yellow instead of a harsh gold, it made her look dreamy instead of costume-y. Laufey already has this magical stage presence, but in this dress? She looked like she belonged in a fairytale movie.
5. Yesly’s Rooftop Romance
Okay, this one is pure fire. The bodice is covered in bright red feather-textures (like fiery petals), and then the bottom is this nude tulle that’s soft and floaty. The contrast is insane, it’s bold up top and delicate at the bottom.
They shot it on a rooftop with the city skyline behind her, and I swear it looked like a movie still. To me, this is Joe’s sweet spot: fantasy in the middle of real life.
6. Fabiola’s Milan Moment
This gown? A showstopper. A full strapless ballgown made from patterned red-and-white fabric that looked like it belonged in a museum. It’s structured, dramatic, and so rich in detail. Joe shot it with Fabiola in front of the Duomo in Milan, and honestly, the setting couldn’t have been better.
I really love how he takes textiles that feel traditional or heritage-inspired and blows them up into these modern couture moments. It’s like history, but wearable.
7. Kat Stickler’s Storybook Toile Dress
Kat’s gown was like wearing a piece of history. It had this classic blue-and-white toile print, those old French countryside scenes, but Joe made it fun with a sculptural shoulder detail and a ruffled hemline.
The print alone could’ve felt stuffy, but he styled it in such a fresh way that it looked playful instead of serious. To me, this dress shows how Joe never just copies old styles, he reimagines them.
8. Haleyy Baylee’s Painter’s Canvas
This one is my personal favorite. It literally looks like someone took a paintbrush to fabric and just went wild with color, yellows, corals, lilacs, greens, all splashed and layered together.
The skirt is huge and ruffled, the bodice sculpted but a little offbeat, and it just radiates joy. I love how it doesn’t try to be perfect, it’s messy, painterly, and alive. On Haleyy Baylee, lying on the floor surrounded by pages, it looked like she’d stepped out of an artist’s dream. To be honest, I scroll back to this one all the time. It’s peak Joe.
Why Joe Feels Different
They always say you can tell when a designer respects women, and with Joe, it’s so obvious. His gowns aren’t just clothes, they’re little love letters to the people wearing them. He’ll spend weeks on a single piece, hand-pleating, painting, stitching. It’s couture, but with heart, and that’s why people connect with him so much.
Joe Ando-Hirsh isn’t just designing clothes. He’s telling stories through them.
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Miss Jay-Ann is on the cover of STYLISH Magazine’s special Women In Style cover edition as she talks about her business, vlogging, and her luxury bag collection — from Chanel to Hermès.
Read our cover story here.
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