A Look at June Ambrose
Courtesy of June Ambrose
Written By: Catherine Gunther
Fashion is a way to “feel confident and worthy, fashion serves as a catalyst to say the things we want,” June Ambrose told Vogue in October 2020, after signing on as creative director at Puma. And that is exactly what she has done. Ambrose has, as Jay-Z said, “indisputably shift[ed] culture” transforming style, and marketing across the industry, not to mention her contributions as the queen of sneaker culture. The way she styled music videos, and directed collaborations between Hip-Hop artists and popular brands, allowed her to spotlight Black culture and its prominence in the industry. Her revolution started at Uptown Records, where she had her first styling job for a music video with TK. Ambrose went on to style over 200 videos some of the most iconic being Missy Elliot in “The Rain,” Notorious B.I.G. in “Mo Money Mo Problems”, and Mary J. Blige in “Everything”. As a stylist, she had the unique challenge of executing the vision of the artist, and she was able to empower them, to “imagine the person [they] want to become.” Embracing the challenge, she captured the attention and admiration of America creating undeniably iconic looks used as reference points for today’s streetwear looks.
June first connected to fashion and developed her design process as a costume designer at her performing arts high school. Her experience in the theatre developed a functional and “authentic sense of opulence.” She was always inspired by glamour, citing her own icons: powerful women like Ann Lowe, Lena Horne, Diana Ross, and Edith Head. Straight out of high school she moved into a marketing role at a capital investment firm but soon after transitioned into a career at Uptown/MCA Records.. June made bold statements remixing classic silhouettes and brands, creating larger-than-life personas for her growing list of influential clients.
What Ambrose accomplished in the 90s and early 2000s is enough to make her one of the most iconic stylists of all time, but she had more to say. June has stayed relevant by “listening to the 16 and 20 year-olds” She never settled, questioning everything and challenging herself as well as the status quo. She did this by “tak[ing] things out of context … while being authentic to the spirit” of the project. Most significant to her mission of affecting change through fashion, she has taken risks to “connect cultural dots.” These risks led her to be creative director of the collaboration between Missy Elliot and Adidas. This collaboration was the first of its kind with a female hip-hop artist, changing the industry forever, and was a link in the close relationship between the music and fashion industries. Before June, Luxury brands were almost exclusively focused on the runway, and would not have considered a collaboration with a hip-hop artist,. Today’s artists make their voices heard with Cardi B starring in ads for Balenciaga, and 2 Chainz’s collaboration with Versace. As A$AP Rocky told BoF in 2018, “It’s important for this generation and the next generation to see people that look like them or that inspire them because fashion isn’t just for the elite anymore.”
In an interview with Essence in June, Ambrose reflected on the shift in the industry since she first began, when there was virtually no representation for Black people and she expressed hopes for the future of fashion. Progress has been made, but more must be done to incubate talent to ensure further evolution of and within the industry. So much of the inspiration for today’s streetwear comes from June’s body of work, and her expert styling is a reliable (never basic) reference point. Encouraged to reflect, Ambrose was honest and bold saying she has no regrets about past looks which were questioned or received poor reviews, some were just a risk she needed to take, and others she would choose to style again. With her success and expertise, June published Effortless Style to inspire and empower others in taking control of their personal style. This book will never become obsolete as fashion evolves because it does not teach you to follow trends, it allows each person to refine their tastes and dress each day with purpose and in a way that makes them confident. Just like she did for artists, she hopes to make every woman the author of her own narrative and answer the question “is this really me?” Ever the resource for the every-woman, she has multiple collaborations with accessible brands, and we excitedly await her first line as creative director of Puma. June Ambrose will continue to make her voice heard, elevating the entire industry with her.
To read more about June, check out the following articles:
