For her first collection since reacquiring full ownership of the brand, Ambush designer Yoon Ahn was feeling experimental.

She listened to retro sounds while designing – a mix of James Brown and West African psychedelic funk from the ‘60s and ‘70s – and you could feel it in the clothes, which were a departure from the collegiate styles she was plying before pausing for a reset.

Ahn riffed on the stacked belt trend, seen on runways from Miu Miu to Jeanne Friot, with jeans that featured multiple waistbands and buckles running down the leg. 

She tossed in some patchwork, fringe and vintage sportswear, and dabbed fake leopard fur on oversized berets, fluffy shorts, a puffball jacket and skate shorts.

“My recent trip to Nigeria inspired me a lot. Also, there’s a new gen of kids emerging in Tokyo who are multiracial, multicultural. I think a lot of people are not aware of that,” she said. 

With its diverse cast of friends and street-cast models, the look book sought to capture the energy of the Shibuya neighborhood where the brand was founded. At the end of August, Ambush will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its original flagship store. 

Since reacquiring their brand from New Guards Group, Ahn and her partner Verbal have brought production back to Japan, and are remixing elements of their past collections as they gear up for the next chapter. 

“We were actually more in tune and hands-on every day, instead of a lot of things being done digitally,” she said. “It’s almost like you have your kitchen, you can just make things. If it doesn’t work, you keep making things until you enjoy the taste of it.”