It is a reward for hard work, productivity, cognition, creative ingenuity and positive conduct for an Imo State born young super Fashion Stylist and Creative Director, Miss Laurel Onuador, who hails from Obogwu, Okuku autonomous community, Owerri West Local Government Area, as a humanitarian and non-profit organisation, the Hope4OurYouth Foundation, in partnership with Owerri West Council, awarded her with Excellence Award.
The Medal of Honor, tagged Owerri West Youth Excellence Awards 2025, held at Owerri West Council headquarters, Umuguma, recently, was organized by an NGO, Hope4OurYouth Foundation, to honor youths of the LGA who have outstanding talents and skills, as well as selflessly contributed to the development and peace of the locality.
Presenting the Award to Laurel, Founder of Hope4OurYouth Foundation, Phil Obi Esorochukwu, who was represented at the event by the Patron of the Foundation, Amb. Obi Chukwueze, noted that the Medal of Honor was in recognition of her skills and talents which she uses to advance her life, humanity, impacting greatly to society growth and progress.
“The Excellence Award on Laurel was indeed meritorious because she leaves no stone unturned to make genuine money to help herself and others through her skills and talents. Her Multi-disciplinary Styling and Creative Directing are skills and talents the H4OYF encourages and appreciates in young productive youths. Any youth with such skills and talents is an asset to the community”, the Founder disclosed.
Laurel, who creates clothe with unusual Style, blending it with Play (creative directing) and other evocative and concept-driven arts, gained prominence when her craft got published in Magazines and Several Fashion Exhibitions with Top Member Clothing (2025) where she created, directed and styled models of the event, @theactuallaurel.
Responding, Laurel expressed delight over the recognition and vowed that she would put more effort to advance her career in fashion, styling and creative directing to become a more useful citizen.
“What started as a love for playing, dress-up turned into a full-blown career in styling and creative directing. I have always had a thing for turning chaos into art—whether it is curating the perfect look or building a visual story from scratch. My path has been anything, but linear – every step has led me deeper into the world where fashion meets imagination.
“I’m a multi-disciplinary stylist and creative director with a strong foundation in Fashion, known for crafting bold, evocative and concept-driven visuals. I merge my deep understanding of culture, act and subtext with instinct for detail to create fashion narratives that resonate.
“Versatility is at the core of my work, whether working with musicians, brands or publications, I translate abstract ideas, sounds, moods, lyrics or conceptual themes into wearable powerful imagery. A real Fashion Stylist and Creative Director, based in Lagos State, Nigeria”, Laurel reflected.
Laurel, a Soil Science undergraduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria, who works with Music Video Directors, Entertainment CEO’s, Models and Lifestyles enthusiasts, creates unusually fantastic clothing styles – Turning DIRT TO DIAMOND, said she wants to take her skills and talents (career) higher to be able to have more edge to help humanity especially young people to grow in their talents and skills and hence become better humans.
Laurel reiterated that she has something unique for everyone in her world of styling, “I intend to have a big brand in Nigeria and I aspire to style for big Afro Beat and Pop sensations like: Tems, Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid”.
