Hellobeautiful Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: JD Barnes / for HelloBeautiful
Every season is a winning season for June Ambrose. With an iconic career as a celebrity stylist that spans over two decades and an enduring influence on revolving fashion trends, June Ambrose is your favorite stylists favorite stylist.
After 25+ years of dressing her roster of high-end clientele (Jay Z, Missy Elliott, and Diddy, just to name a few), Ambrose has added Creative Director to her resume as the designer behind Pumas first-ever womens basketball collection, High Court. Still, while her collaboration with the sports fashion house is her baby; motherhood might be her greatest role.
When I catch up with Ambrose for our cover story interview, she greets me with a simple, but charming, Hello Beautiful. She looks relaxed and cozy in a PANGAIA Hoodie, her straight hair with a middle part, accentuating her high cheekbones. Ever the multi-tasker, as we chat, she is perusing through fragrances with a voice off-screen. This tiny, intimate moment of her sniffing the fragrances, feeling them by hand, and figuring out which one to pick, offers me a glimpse of what her time as a Creative Director at Puma typically looks like.
Source: JD Barnes / for HelloBeautiful
The wardrobe wizard has always been at the forefront of fashion. Her reputation as a fearless connoisseur of clothing is the reason why so many women, especially Black women like myself, connect with her on a deeper level. It is also what Ambrose hopes to convey in her High Court Collection.
Im hoping that it will connect with a woman who is not just an athlete, but looks at life as a sport, that she can see herself as bold and brazen and fearless, Ambrose shared. You know, this collection is to celebrate female basketball players but, when you think about it, even women off the court have the same extraordinary abilities; she just might have to identify what her superpower is.
Women do all that naturallywe play defense, we play hard, we play to win, Ambrose continued. Im hoping that that woman can see herself wanting to you know, wanting to just not blend in, but kind of be really iconic and take some risk.
That multi-tasking, modern-day renaissance woman, whom she both embodies and designs for, is full of skill, determination, focus, and the know-how to balance the ebbs and flows of life. June is no stranger to experiencing burnout, but she has found that her work truly thrives when she takes the time to protect her energy. It takes focus and sometimes being a bit more reclusive, she explained. Its the incubation period. Youll have to compromise and show restraint, but its like a meal. You know youll get the dessert at the end so theres something to look forward to. For me, every social moment is a celebration and I look forward to socializing when the work is done and Ive created something new.
Source: JD Barnes / for HelloBeautiful
Ambrose also wants the High Court Collection to help women and binary non-conforming people open up and find their own voices during difficult conversations. Im hoping that women can see [themselves] wanting to just not blend in, but be really iconic and take some risks. I think theres something about that. As a collective, if we encourage each other to say, this is a movement, I think thats what I want women to take away from this. Its okay to have your own voice, its okay to walk your walk and talk your own talk.
Risk has always been a central factor in June Ambroses life. Leaving her stable job in finance after college to explore the unpredictable world of costume design and fashion styling wouldve never occurred without some risk. But without her fearlessness, the world wouldve missed out on her involvement with rebranding Jay Z from a city-slick rapper to a dashing fashion icon, the cinematic magic she created when she teamed up with Hype Williams on Belly, as well as the transcendent music video style collaborations with the Bad Boy crew and Missy Elliott, which cemented her name in hip-hip history
Source: JD Barnes / for HelloBeautiful
June has seen a reemergence of Y2K streetwear trends on social media with the Gen-Z generation exploring the culture-shifting styles of that decade a style that Ambrose pioneered throughout her career. From the music videos to my current projects, its always been about merging high fashion and streetwear sport couture. The shiny suits are also a staple, Ambrose said, referring to her impact in the fashion world. For Ambrose, seeing the younger generation revisiting and reimagining streetwear is rewarding. It shows that I was able to create something timeless that made an impact, she says with pride. Thats part of making history I drew references from things and people before me. I used what my ancestors gave me. Im intentional about wanting to impact time and culture and it was natural to create things to be passed on to the next generation.
Keeping up with future generations can be a challenging feat for some, especially since social media has become central to our modern cultural zeitgeist. However, the daunting landscape of these platforms doesnt intimidate her. She finds a lot of inspiration through social media now and navigates the rapidly evolving internet with confidence. Well, theres an entire alternate universe, Ambrose says with confidence. People can sell merchandise and receive immediate gratification, thats changed the landscape of how consumers engage with retail tremendously. This is the future of how you consume content; I can look at something, love it, and get it. Even though the consumption of content is at an all-time high, so is the infringement and imitation of original content with little-to-no credit. Ambrose wants to see less relinquishment of original ideas and more sustainability by building out within the fashion community, instead of up.
Ownership. I want to see the foundation of fashion houses evolve and be able to sustain with more than just institutional money, Ambrose shares. A lot of people ask for permission and help from these specific entities but Id love for us to come together and build on our own, to infiltrate the industry with each other.
As many seasoned vets in the game of life know, with risk, comes the promise of reward, and June is seeing many positive rewards from her collection with Puma. Ive seen that this collection is speaking to multi-generational type [of] consumers, Ambrose said, satisfaction on her face and in her voice. The fact that we can be on the backs of a 16-year-old to a 55-year-old is quite extraordinary. I think its a testament to how the world is seeing each other now.
The multi-generational conversation is a little bit more prevalent now than ever, June continued. For me, it is exciting because I have a 17-year-old and 20-year-old, its amazing being able to unapologetically hang out with them and look just like them. Ambrose isnt the only style maven in her family, she also notes that her children, Chance (20) and Summer (17), are coming into their own sense of style as well. Its fun to see them play with sportswear, they take it and make it appropriate in so many different settings. Summer rocks the PUMA sneakers with dresses and Chance is bringing motorsport sneakers into street style with oversized denim. They do cool things with both scale and fit.
June Ambroses relationship with her children morphs and evolves every day something she is unabashedly proud of. I have two disruptors that Ive raised and Ive watched them find their own way, my kids Chance and Summer. They dont feel pressure to be in fashion or do what others have done, they have conviction and have found their own voice, she said. Summer is so creative and does her own thing, you can tell she doesnt adhere to the societal pressure a lot of young women face. Chance has found a balance between finance and art, which I think is great and something many people dont know how to combine, the modern matriarch added. When youre raising kids, you really focus on them. I do also see that young people have a lot more access to info these days and that makes a big difference, theyre smarter. Not only does June take note of her childrens strong sense of autonomy, she feels inspired by them as well.
Source: JD Barnes / for HelloBeautiful
They inspire me every day, June proudly exclaimed. I love that they are well-rounded humans who are thoughtful and have great creative expression. Its inspiring that they understand they can articulate so much by what they wear, how they speak, and how they treat others.
One thing that Ambrose hopes that her children take away from her lifes work is to appreciate that feeling of impacting at least one person with their talents. I want them to be able to share their art and creativity and know that theyll be remembered for the feeling people get when they experience it. I always try to sprinkle a little June joy in everything that I touch.
Indeed, its that June joy that serves as an inspirational mood board for all Black women who just need that little push to take their leap of faith. Even Ambrose finds herself still feeling inspired while reminiscing on her past, and feeling proud seeing her contributions across different mediums come to life. Becoming an author was a really proud moment for me. I still consider it a classic in the sense that youre able to still draw references from it that are important to developing ones style. That was important in creating my own legacy, on a commercial level, Ambrose said. Theres also the costume designs that I created that are now inducted to places like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and places like that. Overall, the fact that Im still able to contribute to celebratory and iconic moments Ill always be proud of that.
More From Our Mothers Day Issue:
10 Iconic Styling Moments From June Ambrose That Shifted The Culture
5 Black Mommy Bloggers Who Juggle Motherhood And Dream-Chasing Seamlessly
The Last-Minute Mothers Day Gift Guide For The Mama In Your Life
Excerpt from:
June Ambrose On Style, Motherhood And Building Her Legacy - HelloBeautiful
- Kate Berlant and John Early Discuss the Origin of Would It Kill You to Laugh? and Their Absence of Sexual Tension - Variety - June 29th, 2022
- As Wimbledon Begins, an Era of Sports Free of Bans and Boycotts Ends - The New York Times - June 29th, 2022
- The End of a 50-Year Chapter - City Journal - June 29th, 2022
- 'Elvis' Costume Designer Catherine Martin on Recreating the King's Inimitable Style - Coveteur - June 29th, 2022
- Further thoughts on restorationistsand a remark on papal sycophants - Catholic World Report - June 29th, 2022
- These are the 11 greatest Glastonbury Festival sets ever - Louder - June 29th, 2022
- Lebanese-Australian Fashion Designer, Yasmin Jay, On Why Theres A Gap In The Market For Modest Fashion - ELLE Australia - June 29th, 2022
- The benefits of adaptive reusing old buildings into new... - Inhabitat - June 29th, 2022
- Author Leah Sottile discusses her deep dive into two dead children in Idaho, and where extreme religion meets extreme conspiratorial fervor - Inlander - June 29th, 2022
- 10 Most ICONIC 50s Fashion Looks - Dress Like The 1950s - The VOU - June 18th, 2022
- Outrage From Young Women Sparks Ambition to Become More Involved in Politics - Australian Institute of International Affairs - Australian Institute of... - June 18th, 2022
- 4 Young Critics Put New Eyes and Fresh Perspectives On 'Hamilton' - Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO Weekly) - June 18th, 2022
- GOPs violent, expanding war on LBGTQ kids should make you think about 1930s Germany | Will Bunch - The Philadelphia Inquirer - June 18th, 2022
- Nova Twins' Supernova is the album leading alt rock into a new future - Louder - June 18th, 2022
- TABLEAU's 'Confessions' addresses the silent crisis in male mental health - STIRworld - June 18th, 2022
- Michelle Obama delivers impassioned speech on voting: If you dontothers will! - TheGrio - June 18th, 2022
- What the Zeitgeist can Tell us About the Future of Terrorism - ICCT - International Centre for Counter-Terrorism - The Hague - June 11th, 2022
- REVIEW: 'Six' brings out the rock star side of Henry VIII's wives - Sioux City Journal - June 11th, 2022
- The Biennial Stars: Meet the 17 (Perhaps Unexpected) Artists Who Have Defined Our Current Era of International Art Shows - artnet News - June 11th, 2022
- "Nevada" and the Multiverse of Sadness - www.autostraddle.com - June 11th, 2022
- It breaks your heart: How Geraldine Brooks turned her grief into a book of love - Sydney Morning Herald - June 11th, 2022
- Does Tom Cruise represent the last generation of flesh and blood movie stars? - Flicks - June 11th, 2022
- What is LGBTQIA+? The acronym for the queer community keeps evolving. - Yahoo Life - June 9th, 2022
- A 35-Year-Old Man Listens to My Chemical Romances The Black Parade for the First Time - Consequence - June 9th, 2022
- Commentary: How Anton Chekhov became the playwright of the moment - Los Angeles Times - June 9th, 2022
- The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts Announces 2022-2023 Season Featuring Two World Premieres & More - Broadway World - June 9th, 2022
- Preserve the past, please! - Dhaka Tribune - June 9th, 2022
- What Happens to Johnny Depps and Amber Heards Careers? Insiders Weigh In - Vanity Fair - June 5th, 2022
- WA Symphony Orchestra and Asher Fisch play Haydn, Beethoven and Brahms at Perth Concert Hall - The West Australian - June 5th, 2022
- PODCAST: Rewind of the Living Dead Reviews 'Stranger Things' Season 4, Volume 1 - Nerdcore Movement - June 3rd, 2022
- Review: Two and a Half Rivers by Anirudh Kala - Hindustan Times - June 3rd, 2022
- The Problem with Zeitgeist | The Anarchist Library - May 20th, 2022
- Zeitgeist Movement | Emerging economy Wiki | Fandom - May 20th, 2022
- Screen Printing the Visual Zeitgeist - The Provincetown Independent - May 20th, 2022
- 'Think you can do what you want with your body?': vintage pro-choice ads in pictures - The Guardian - May 20th, 2022
- How Will Remote Work Effect The Media Industry - Forbes - May 20th, 2022
- 2022 GOP primaries prove that MAGA is now bigger than Donald Trump - Salon - May 20th, 2022
- Escape Academy captures the fun of escape puzzles, without the cramped rooms - BEAM Media - May 20th, 2022
- 6 Nigerian Artists Riding On the Y2K Fashion Big Time - The Culture Custodian - May 20th, 2022
- Seizing the zeitgeist - PharmaTimes Magazine May 2022 - PharmaTimes - May 17th, 2022
- Hear rare audio of Television and Patti Smith performing 'Marquee Moon' in 1975 - Far Out Magazine - May 17th, 2022
- Are You in a Cult? This Podcast Can Tell You - Vulture - May 17th, 2022
- "Traditional" Catholics and white nationalist "groypers" forge a new far-right youth movement - Salon - May 15th, 2022
- The missing election ingredient: nothing here for the next generation - ABC News - May 15th, 2022
- Moving the Mountain: A Conversation about Pro-Blackness with Cyndi Suarez, Liz Derias, and Kad Smith - Non Profit News - Nonprofit Quarterly - May 15th, 2022
- Review: Ali Smith's 'Companion Piece' to her timely quartet - Los Angeles Times - May 7th, 2022
- Five artists whose image was more important than the music - Far Out Magazine - May 7th, 2022
- What's New on DVD/Blu-ray in May: 'Turning Red,' 'X,' 'Mississippi Masala' and More - TheWrap - May 7th, 2022
- Surrealism's Alternative History The 59th Venice Biennale - Nico Kos Earle - ArtLyst - May 7th, 2022
- A Brief History of Sex Clubs, And Their Clandestine Predecessors - InsideHook - May 7th, 2022
- New York cannot be the city of your dreams - Washington Square News - April 24th, 2022
- Kate Sutton at the 59th Venice Biennale - Artforum - April 24th, 2022
- Punk and poison: The trailblazing life and sad legacy of Johnny Thunders - Far Out Magazine - April 24th, 2022
- The Passover Offensive and the Easter(n) Promises - Jewish Journal - April 24th, 2022
- Inside the Critics Circle: This book gives a sociologists perspective on contemporary reviewing - Scroll.in - April 24th, 2022
- Unpacking the nature and human health zeitgeist Discover Society - April 20th, 2022
- Catching the zeitgeist - The Korea JoongAng Daily - April 20th, 2022
- To Reckon with Theft of Indigenous Land, Change Place Names - GovExec.com - April 20th, 2022
- What is shadow banning? And what do social platforms say about it? - Sydney Morning Herald - April 20th, 2022
- Tribeca Festival Lineup Includes Corner Office With Jon Hamm, Ray Romanos Somewhere In Queens, More - Deadline - April 20th, 2022
- Eli Roth names his five favourite horror movies of all time - Far Out Magazine - April 20th, 2022
- Tune into baseball for long enough in 2022 and you're almost assured to c - EMEA TRIBUNE - April 20th, 2022
- So what is the good of book reviewing? A review of a review of the reviewers - The Conversation - April 20th, 2022
- The Euphoria Casts Fashion-World Takeover - Surface Magazine - April 15th, 2022
- Ranking the songs of David Bowie album Aladdin Sane in order of greatness - Far Out Magazine - April 15th, 2022
- Keeping up with the Kardashians' confounding popularity - Stuff - April 15th, 2022
- Bulgari Releases the Thinnest Mechanical Watch in the World - Gear Patrol - March 26th, 2022
- Former Amazon Studios Chief Roy Price on His Downfall: 'That Was Not a Good Week to Have a Bad Article' - Next TV - March 26th, 2022
- The top 10 documentaries that can genuinely change your life - Far Out Magazine - March 26th, 2022
- This stunning Deep South fable isn't the next Kentucky Route Zeroit's the first Norco - PC Gamer - March 26th, 2022
- The 74 Interview: Howard Historian Daryl Scott on 'Grievance History,' the 1619 Project and the 'Possibility that We Rend Ourselves on the Question of... - March 26th, 2022
- What is the secret to happiness? Arthur Brooks talks sources of happiness | Opinion - Deseret News - March 26th, 2022
- 'The Godfather' at 50 Review - The Film Magazine - March 26th, 2022
- Chasing the Gold: Why 'The Power of the Dog' Should Win Best Picture - InSession Film - March 26th, 2022
- On art and women: I-You-They at Istanbuls spacious Meher | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah - March 26th, 2022
- SCRUTINY | National Ballets The Sleeping Beauty Filled To The Brim With Talent - Ludwig Van - March 26th, 2022
- Oil time high: Do analysts think crude will hit $200 a barrel? - Capital.com - March 26th, 2022
- The Glasgow bootmaker who ordered Freddie Mercury to fit David Bowie with a pair of platforms - Glasgow Live - March 26th, 2022
- Wear a suit to the office. Its a special occasion - The Guardian - February 19th, 2022
- Conservative Judaism: The Beginning of the End? | Sam Lehman-Wilzig | The Blogs - The Times of Israel - February 19th, 2022