How Creative Director & Stylist June Ambrose is Defining Culture Through Fashion

Welcome to Second Life, a podcast spotlighting successful women who've made major career changes—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, co-founder and chief content officer at Who What Wear, each episode will give you a direct line to women who are game changers in their fields. Subscribe to Second Life on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and stay tuned.

"Fashion is mute, style gives it voice,” was once said by influential award-winning costumer designer, stylist, and now the creative director of Puma, June Ambrose. A pillar in the fashion community, Ambrose has an unparalleled vision when it comes to creativity and has sparked a stylistic evolution in both entertainment and fashion. Ambrose has cultivated her career in the industry, from styling over 200 music videos with iconic looks to designing countless costumes for notable clientele. She was one of the first to secure couture pieces for artists like Jay Z, created one-of-a-kind ensembles for superstars, including Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, and Lizzo, and was behind Missy Elliots’s unforgettable inflatable vinyl suit in The Rain music video. Through her rare creativity and self-expression—and always being unapologetically herself—Ambrose has left a major impact on today’s youth, inspiring trends and fashion statements found in today’s pop-culture. Case in point: I personally will never forget working alongside Ambrose for a Missy Elliot cover shoot at Marie Claire and leaving set with newfound energy and inspiration. 

Today, Ambrose is the new creative director of Puma, with her first, highly-anticipated collection set to debut in 2021. Because of Ambrose’s unmatched talent, unique eye, and extensive experience, it may come as a surprise that she began her career on a drastically different path: investment banking. Yes, that is right—after school, Ambrose worked at an investment banking firm and eventually realized that her calling was elsewhere. 

Head to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere else you listen to subscribe to Second Life and hear about Ambrose's rare ability to capture a moment in a look, proving that your style does indeed have a voice.