Laurel Hunter | Fashion Stylist & Creative Director

Fashion can have a profound effect on culture and society. The creations of designers and stylists that make their way onto our bodies shape our visual landscape and interpersonal interactions. Laurel Hunter is a stylist who is very conscientious of this reality. Writing in 2018 on the fashion rules that permeate society, she questions the validity of fashion axioms at the cost of people expressing their true authentic selves. 

The focus on authenticity is a lodestone in her life, as is treating everyone with respect. Living by the mantra, “Feel the fear and do it anyway”, Laurel Hunter is a testament to the power of following your dreams. 

| BACKGROUND

Today, Laurel Hunter works as a fashion stylist and creative director, having applied her expertise to editorials, music videos, short films and personal shopping. She approaches her styling in terms of storytelling, creating characters in her mind with different stylistic personalities. Her website shares many testimonials and comments praising her artistic services. But she wasn’t always this publicly connected to the world of fashion. 

Coming from a background in recruitment consulting, Laurel worked with people who were long term unemployed and in receipt of government assistance. With a caseload of 250 people, she worked with clients to move them closer to the labor market, assisting in ways such as: creating their resumes, teaching interview techniques, aiding with job searches, purchasing interview clothing, paying for travel to interviews, dealing with housing issues, or handling their immigration status. This chapter of her life came to a close in 2014 when she became an assistant to an established stylist in the industry. This is where she learned the important administration tools that gave her the experience to eventually branch out on her own.

| MISSION

Motivated by the joy she feels when clients and models are happy with the looks she puts together, Laurel embodies the reality that one can do anything they put their minds towards. 

She is also devoted to helping raise the profile of other black creatives, as she always tries to include black designers and brands in her styling jobs. There’s more of Laurel Hunter’s work to enjoy on her Instagram @lahunterstyling and also her website: https://www.lahuntergatherer.com/

Written By

Tristan Dominguez

Tristan is an innately curious autodidact with a focus on the humanities. Over two decades he’s written for a variety of passion projects, work characterized by diligent research and conscientious use of language. You can read some of his essays here: https://soundmind.substack.com/

Edited By | Katherine Berg | @kurleykath

Katherine is an artist, vegan activist, and the founder and curator of Creating Freely Magazine. She’s passionate about living on her own terms and maximizing her potential!