June Ambrose Puma Collaboration
#BlackGirlMagic June Ambrose Announced As PUMA’s New Creative Director
June Ambrose is making moves. The style savant has been named the new Creative Director of Puma.
Source: Puma / Courtesy of PUMA
The Global Sports company announced the news today, Tuesday, October 6, and shared that with the new partnership, June will “help PUMA redefine what it means to be stylish in sport” by leaning on her 25+ years of creating culture-defining moments. June will also bring a fresh look to athletes and audiences’ attire.
The iconic image-maker is said to be taking a “holistic brand approach,” extending her design eye across categories and age groups for girls and women’s collections throughout 2021 and beyond. June came to PUMA through her long-standing relationship with JAY-Z, who serves as the creative director for PUMA Hoops.
“Jay (Jay-Z), Emory Jones and I have had many conversations about style, sport, purpose and legacy,” said June Ambrose. “From these conversations, Jay then introduced me to Bjørn Gulden (PUMA CEO) and Adam Petrick (PUMA’s Global Director of Brand and Marketing). Adam and I talked about our visions and my impact on the culture at large, and it was from these interactions that I knew a collaboration with PUMA would be beautiful and transcend far beyond product.”
Source: Puma / Courtesy of PUMA
June’s role as a creative director will lend herself to a number of moments and collections with PUMA throughout 2021 including, but not limited to, an exciting exclusive for PUMA Hoops and a Title Nine collection inspired by June’s passion to celebrate bold, fearless women everywhere who rise above and go the distance no matter how big the challenge might be, while also being stylishly fit.
“I want my work with PUMA to drive a dialogue around Title Nine and equality. To have the opportunity to do this by launching a collection for an underserved division, for women’s basketball, is incredible,” said Ambrose. “I want athletes and all women to feel fearless and inspired when they wear the pieces that I’ve designed. I want to create a space where young girls and women feel empowered on and off the court.”
Source: Puma / Courtesy of PUMA
June also spoke with Vogue and noted that the current climate that includes the coronavirus pandemic and 2020’s ongoing protests against police violence have shaped her goals for the brand.
“Timing is important,” said June. “Right now, a light is being shined on these issues. I’ve always felt a calling to create with purpose. I don’t want just to make clothes, I want people to feel fearless and inspired, to create a space where young men and women feel empowered on and off the court and use that to disrupt things a little bit.” To that end, Ambrose plans to amplify some of Puma’s existing charitable initiatives and spearhead new ones that put the brand’s international reach to good use.
“They’re already working with several organizations that focus on fighting inequality in race, gender, and sexuality, which was very important to me,” she says. “Using my voice to amplify that will be one of the most fulfilling parts of the next chapter of my career.”
Congrats to June Ambrose!
Source: Puma / Courtesy of PUMA
