June Ambrose’s breathtaking tour costumes, as seen by Missy Elliott. Excuse me,
Not only will Missy Elliott’s performance at Thursday’s Rogers Arena in Vancouver be absolutely spectacular, but so will the costumes.
This 24-city tour is the first headline performance by the multiplatinum-selling artist, who will be visiting major North American cities before finishing in Rosemont, Illinois, on August 22nd. Timbaland, Ciara, and Busta Rhymes are all set to appear on the “Out of This World” tour.
“There are so many significant ‘firsts’ happening in my life right now, and it’s an amazing time.” The musician, who has won four Grammys, made history by being the first female hip-hop artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Now she is embarking on her first headline tour. Fans have been begging me to go on tour for what seems like an eternity, but I was hesitant to do it until I felt ready. I wanted to make sure I did it big and with my family if I did go on tour. With Busta Rhymes, Ciara, and Timbaland, we are about to transport you “Out of This World.”
“The performers have two adjustments, and Missy wanted eight outfits, so I did 246 outfits,” said Ambrose.
Being with Elliott is like breathing for Ambrose. She helped out with the singer’s Adidas project and worked with her on her debut album, “Supa Dupa Fly,” which came out in 1997. After partnering with the German sportswear label in 2004, Elliott introduced her Respect M.E. line.
The obvious choice for Elliott’s clothing collaborator was thus made. “June is the perfect tour partner. Who could be more fitting?” She has been my stylist for many years, and her creations include some of my most recognizable looks. Elliott wrote to WWD to alert them. My style preferences are well-known to her. She understands how I think and see style from my point of view.
Ambrose claimed she only had a month to complete the garments, despite the fact that she usually needs six months to design that many outfits. To make sure everything was perfect, she kept making changes until the premiere was exactly one week away. “It was quite a challenge, but we’re managing to complete it,” said the woman.
Ambrose broadly characterized the style as “performance sportswear with costume design attributes.” The thought of “modern streetwear silhouettes” resurfaces, along with images of nylon and other technical fabrics. Elliott sported a jewel-encrusted dominatrix-style catsuit in the 1999 music video for her popular track “She’s a B—h,” and this reminds me of part of that.
Elliott and Ambrose worked closely together to bring Ambrose’s vision for the tour attire to life. While thanking the skilled crew for making his vision a reality, Elliott said, “I will say humbly that everything you see, hear, and experience on this tour started out in my mind.” The overwhelming amount of help he got is truly remarkable.
Ambrose argues that the show’s four acts require distinct characters. It went from the Jetsons to a rave, she remarked, chuckling. The baseball jerseys, overalls, and puffer coats are covered in a multitude of sparkling accents.
During the show’s opening performance, Ambrose made a joke about Missy coming from the universe, or what he calls the Juniverse, and getting out in a spaceship with her moon guys. They all wear space costumes for the first ten songs.
Current climate change and rivers are hinted at in the second act, which is designed to depict underwater life. According to Ambrose, the current trends serve as inspiration for the ensembles.
Elliott reportedly goes to a red-light district in Act 3 (Ambrose). “It’s colorful, provocative, and sexy all at the same time.” “Missy is a rock star,” Ambrose says, explaining why the clothes have stones.
“Mixed with graffiti and streetwear,” Ambrose characterized the “Old School” mood of the final act. A Neon Dayglo baseball cap featuring a mohawk graphic is incredibly entertaining to wear. Up until the present day, it’s a montage of hip-hop hits from the ’80s and ’90s.
Ambrose described “Out of This World” as a “very high-energy, fast-paced” performance. In order to get all the information you could have missed the first time, you’ll have to watch the show again and again.
Elliott required two things in particular. She made the comment, “A faja, lol,” as she described it. Going to a more serious level, stoning. Spectacular effects are created as the stage lights reflect off the crystals while I dance around them. My state of intoxication must be absolutely ideal.
Ambrose mentioned that during rehearsals, she climbs to the very top of the arena to check “how the costumes are reading”—that is, to ensure that Elliott’s outfits would fit, even for the highest-seated audience in the stadiums where she will be performing. Our stadium concerts must be accessible to all, even in the most remote sections.
She assured Elliott that she would accompany him to the tour’s first shows to double-check the outfits and ensure that the wardrobe staff was competent.
Elliott revealed behind the scenes that her style shifts based on her emotions, but that she usually leans towards casual and sporty attire. On stage, I want to keep things casual so that the focus is on my performance and not my clothes. However, when it comes to my show’s looks, I am always trying to be creative and find ways to incorporate my personality into the costumes while also making sure they complement the show’s visuals. Jumpsuits are my go-to since they are so easy to wear and remove, which is great because I change costumes quite a bit during my performances.
According to Elliott, she plans to keep the clothing once the trip ends.
Although I normally keep my costumes in my collection, you can see a couple of them at places like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In fact, I just completed a short picture session in some vintage costumes I’ve accumulated over the years and shared the results on Facebook. Looking back was a blast, but these costumes are more than just a trip down memory lane; they are a representation of my creativity and my journey. You never know; they might even spark a trend in the future.
Ambrose plans to “go back into my world” if she is happy with the upkeep of the garments and the reception each look receives from the audience.
Ambrose was recognized in 2023 as one of the Women in Power by WWD, Footwear News, and Beauty Inc. She has been a stylist for over 30 years and was the creative director of Puma Hoops for three of those years. She was a driving force behind the debut of Puma’s women’s basketball collection and a key figure in the sportswear company’s 2022 New York Fashion Week presentations.
Nevertheless, she ended her relationship with Puma after her contract ran out in 2023.
According to her, “new developments in the consumer-facing lifestyle space” are in the works as of late. Still, she was tight-lipped about the details, stating simply that the multimedia endeavor “makes sense for the Juniverse.”