June Ambrose is an award-winning creative director, stylist, costume designer, and entrepreneur who has built a career creating culture-shifting moments through fashion and style. From designing costumes for Hype Williams’ Belly to styling videos for hip hop heavyweights like Missy Elliott, P Diddy, and Jay Z, she has left an indelible mark on fashion and created the blueprint for many of the trends we see today. Ambrose has also changed the industry itself through her fearlessness and willingness to challenge the status quo—whether she was creating opportunities for other stylists of color, building bridges between luxury European fashion houses and hip hop artists, or pioneering the celebrity brand collaboration, she has shaped the industry and created opportunity when there was none. She’s an industry titan with an eye toward global impact and legacy, which she has achieved across the course of her 25+ year career.

She got her start in the theatre department of her performing arts high school, where she would create narratives for various characters through clothing. This sparked her love for costume design and laid the groundwork for her holistic approach to styling, using fashion as a way to articulate a narrative without words. After high school, she got a job in investment banking before pivoting to a role at Uptown/MCA Records, where she would book her first styling job for a young TK. From there, she was able to amass a clientele of artists who would go on to shape hip hop and more widely, music culture, creating videos that continue to be referenced and recreated today. She has never been afraid to open her own doors or create one when it didn’t exist. This is evident in the places she looked to for inspiration and original custom pieces she created, remixing classic silhouettes and brands to make something wholly original to fit her clients’ aesthetic. This innovation led to a collaboration between Missy Elliott and Adidas, which she creative directed, an industry first that has become standard practice.

As her influence in the industry grew, so did the demand for her perspective and expertise. She published a book, Effortless Style, to help everyday people master the art of dressing themselves, and has appeared on countless TV segments as a style expert, including The Oprah Winfrey Show and The View. In 2012 she starred in her own show, Styled by June on VH1, where she shared her creative process with the world.

Ambrose has parlayed her expertise into a global lifestyle brand, collaborating with companies like Target, Macy’s, and La Mer who gravitate toward her sharp, sartorial eye and dynamic, infectious personality. Most recently she’s taken her talents to Puma, where she is a creative director and designer. In 2021 she’ll release her first collection with the brand.

Celebrity Stylists, Fashion Business, Leadership, Motivational, Innovation, Business Leadership, Inspirational, Female Leadership, Women in Business, Influential Women, SXSW,