Global sports company PUMA has announced a new partnership with creative director and iconic image maker, June Ambrose. June will help PUMA redefine what it means to be stylish in sport; leaning on her 25+ years of creating culture defining moments to bring a fresh look to athletes and audiences’ attire.
June will take 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, the brand’s basketball division.
“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.”
June’s role as a creative partner highlights PUMA’s continued focus on creating premium offerings that merge style with performance. June will lend her expertise to a number of moments and collections with PUMA throughout 2021 including an exclusive for PUMA Hoops and a Title Nine collection inspired by June’s passion to celebrate bold, fearless women everywhere.
“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.”
“June is an icon at the intersection between fashion, music, culture and purpose,” said Adam Petrick, Global Director of Brand and Marketing at PUMA. “Having the opportunity to bring an individual with such talent into the world of sports is unique and we are excited to see how she can redefine what it means to create a sportswear collection.”
The partnership will also transcend product; working closely with June, PUMA will commit to using its platform for social impact, empowering youth and pushing for equality in sport.
“The connection between style and sport is timeless and it’s something I’ve always wanted to put my spin on,” said Ambrose. “Beyond the collections, it’s important to me that the collaboration is rooted in social impact, and PUMA’s work in the social justice space to empower youth through sport makes them the perfect partner.”
Additional details about the collection will be available at a later date.