"I enjoy immersing myself in the subject and not immediately understanding the message. I give more space to emotions than to reason; I watch all my films and series at least five times."
Ambre strides purposefully into the café where we've arranged to meet to answer our questions. "Determination" is indeed the word that best characterizes this young art director. Describing herself as someone who never gives up, Ambre has honed her skills through a series of experiences, from Universal Studios sets to campaigns for Lacoste, Courir, and MCM. In her work, she develops concepts, directs movements, and builds relationships with her teams, particularly the models, to evoke emotions. Today, she wants to go beyond the fixed frame and create socially conscious short films. Keenly aware of the tensions around her, she developed a project in New York last November, which was selected for the Berlin Fashion Film Festival in February 2026.
Noée Feval: Do you build your tastes, and even your ideas, from what you see on social media, or are you inspired by the spontaneity of life?
Amber Ruiz I'm definitely inspired by the spontaneity of life. If I take the example of my short film for Berlin, I wrote concepts based on what I heard from New Yorkers while I was there. They talked about their feelings about life in that big city and how they fit into the fashion industry. I also want to say that I draw a lot of inspiration from my own life. I always thought I'd start with a mood board I'd seen on Pinterest or Instagram trends, but I quickly realized that was striving for an ideal rather than authenticity. Copying a pre-existing idea felt a bit unsettling. The short film I submitted to the Berlin Fashion Film Festival is called Surface StudiesIt is dedicated to the internal tensions a woman experiences when she is forced to conform to societal norms. The key aspect of this project lies in how the video is perceived by women and men. Women understand it very quickly as soon as I show them the video without explaining the synopsis. Conversely, men don't understand it immediately. The feminist act is explored in a subtle and abstract way; the emotional register resonates much more strongly with a certain group of people because some common, lived experiences are echoed.
What is your greatest strength and what makes you unique?
From what people tell me, my greatest strength is my determination. I refuse to give up. At my old agency, I heard that I would never be an art director. Eventually, after resigning, I was hired directly as a junior art director, and now I'm lucky enough to be a creative director for photoshoots for well-known brands. It's true that hearing people tell me I'll never make it only makes me want to work twice as hard. For several months, I worked on short film projects, but people never saw me as a director. Then, on a whim, I went to New York, assembled a team of people I didn't know but had met in cafes and restaurants. We made a film that was selected for the Berlin Fashion Film Festival, and since then, people have been calling me a "director."
You move in artistic circles, so you must naturally love art. My question is obvious: do you love art?
I love art, and I have a little story about it. When I was little, I had trouble calming down because I was hyperactive. The only way I could soothe myself was to paint. Art completely shaped me.
Do you prefer to be inspired by figurative art or abstract art?
Abstract art inspires me much more because I place far greater importance on emotional messages. Figurative art conveys ideas that are too heavy and direct. I like to immerse myself in the subject and not immediately grasp the message, because I give more space to emotions than to reason. I watch all my films and series at least five times.
Do you like the work of every photographer you work with, and do you put the urgency of the mission before your personal tastes?
No, I don't like all photographers because you have to take into account that I work with clients. While my position allows me to suggest photographers, I won't necessarily like the ones we end up working with because, ultimately, it's the brand that decides.
Are you trying to impose your personal sensibility or do you prefer to strictly adhere to the client's brief?
It's incredibly interesting because I've noticed something we're not taught well in school: the difficulty in detaching ourselves from our own vision, especially when working in a creative environment. As soon as someone doesn't like our work in relation to their brief, we can take it personally.
Is it difficult to follow one's convictions in this profession and sometimes to impose them?
I handle a lot of casting, and it's always a rather complicated subject. While I'd like to be as inclusive as possible today, ultimately, the decision isn't mine. However, in a creative role, I have a responsibility to voice my convictions. You always have to insist, repeat yourself, especially when you're a woman. So far, I've been fortunate enough to work with clients who share similar values to my own.
Do you have any advice for young people who want to embark on a career in the creative world?
Never think you know everything, and always be willing to learn by asking questions. We all need to learn, to read, to watch, even for personal reasons. That's how you build a strong character.
The art direction allows Ambre to challenge certain conditions to which we have become accustomed. In artistic circles, every interaction is important, as it allows for the introduction and exchange of multiple themes, such as emotions. Emotions sell very well; they must be captured on camera and conveyed as authentically as possible. Ambre is perpetually attentive to her surroundings, both in form and content, in order to reveal a certain brutality of life.
