Cultural visionary June Ambrose is redefining the rules of women’s footwear with the launch of her first collaboration with Naturalizer, as the brand’s global ambassador and guest creative director. The fashion disruptor and the nearly 100-year-old footwear brand introduce Style-Letics, a new style arena where fashion moves like sport. The heart of the June Ambrose x Naturalizer collection is rooted in the idea that “Comfort isn’t a bonus anymore,” as Ambrose states. “It’s the starting line. Once that’s non-negotiable, you’re free to design something bold.”
Jay Schmidt, Caleres chief executive officer, said, “Our focus continues to be on building our lead brands with enduring cultural authority—brands that honor their origin while continuing to evolve. Naturalizer has long defined what comfort means for women. This collaboration with June Ambrose underscores how comfort and trend are mutually reinforcing forces. By bringing together Naturalizer’s fit legacy and product innovation with visionary creative voices like June, we’re expanding what modern comfort looks like, while keeping this Caleres lead brand firmly at the center of today’s style conversation.”
Style-Letics is a new approach to women’s footwear—one that reflects a shift in what women across generations demand from their daily fashion. As Ambrose puts it, “Style-Letics is the new choreography of fashion. It’s this fusion of culture, movement and identity—the way women really live.” She went on to say, “Every day is a sport. Every schedule is a sprint. And I wanted to create a language where style flexes with us, not against us. Style doesn’t have to hurt to be powerful.”
The first drop of the June Ambrose x Naturalizer collaboration introduces two statement styles designed for the sport of daily life—the Nova-Shaft, a sandal-boot hybrid with a convertible shaft, and the Zyra, a ghillie pump with sneaker-inspired construction and cushioning.
Built in close collaboration with Naturalizer’s design, fit and innovation teams, Style-Letics merges fashion aesthetics with athletic codes, delivering shoes that give couture but move with ease. Naturalizer’s century-deep expertise in comfort and fit forms the technical foundation, while Ambrose brings the remix, infusing high fashion, streetwear, music, culture and lived experience into every silhouette.
Natelle Baddeley, Caleres chief design and product officer, said, “Working with June began with a single, clear idea she articulated on day one: Style-Letics. That became our north star—the belief that performance and style don’t compete. They collaborate.” She continued, “What makes this collaboration truly unique is the tension June loves to play in: pairing sport-forward construction with unexpected luxury finishes, colors and materials. The result is footwear that shows up for everyday life with an undeniable attitude.”
The full collection consists of five styles—two sneakers and three hybridized dress shoes that challenge traditional categories. Designed with visual cues from athletic footwear, the collection blends premium leather, evolved reptiles and performance materials (like textural meshes) with sport codes such as reflective stripe detailing, Velcro closures for easy fit adjustments, rubbery traction outsoles and athletic-grade foams for insoles and midsoles for ultimate flexibility and cushioning.
Ambrose didn’t just design Style-Letics—she put it to the test. The sport-inspired campaign features Ambrose herself in motion, moving through basketball, tennis and boxing, and was styled by Ambrose herself. The result is fashion that doesn’t ask women to slow down or trade beauty for relief. These are shoes designed to keep up.
