- June Ambrose is Puma's creative director for women's basketball.
- Ambrose, who joined in October 2020, has designed for celebrities including Jay-Z and Missy Elliott.
- Her first Puma collection releases on December 1 and includes on-court and off-court apparel.
Puma is getting ready to dive deeper into women's basketball with the help of celebrity designer June Ambrose.
Ambrose has designed music videos for musicians including Diddy, Missy Elliott, and Jay-Z. The sportswear brand named Ambrose creative director with a focus on women's basketball in October 2020.
Ambrose's first Puma collection will release on December 1, as women's hoops debuts as its own category for the company.
Women's basketball continues to grow in popularity and basketball's booming cultural relevance makes it a critical category for sportswear brands. In recent years, the loading docks and entrances of basketball arenas have become an important fashion runway.
Ambrose hopes to capture some of that spotlight with the High Court collection that includes a fur coat, leggings, hoodies and a jacket. She also wants to shine a brighter light on female athletes.
Puma has been slowly building its presence in women's basketball, partnering with the WNBA in 2018 and signing a succession of top female players, including Jackie Young and Katie Lou Samuelson.
In May, WNBA player Breanna Stewart announced she signed on as a Puma athlete. She's expected to get her own signature shoe, which will be the first for an WNBA player in 10 years and the 10th overall, according to ESPN's Nick DePaula.
"Puma has made a decision to make an investment in women, in sports and athletes," Ambrose said. "We've signed some great new players."
Ambrose added she remembers using Puma suedes for design inspiration early in her career.
"I've always been a fan of the brand," she said. "The brand is deeply rooted in hip-hop culture, where I got my career start."
The new collection, which has 25 pieces and prices starting at $30, includes everything from on-court apparel to jackets and bags.
"It goes from the court to the curbside," Ambrose said. "I've worked with the brand on redefining what it means to be stylish in sport. That's been my goal, to bring style to sports."
Analysts say there's ample room for growth in women's basketball.
"Women's basketball is less than 1% of men's basketball — virtually non-existent," said Matt Powell, NPD Group senior industry analyst, in an email.
Powell said Under Armour controls about 50% of the market and Nike's Jordan brand has about one-third.
"Puma does not show up in the data," he said. "There is an incredible opportunity in women's basketball. Brands are leaving millions on the table."