interview by JANA LETONJA

Canadian fashion entrepreneur and digital content creator Allegra Shaw made a name for herself as a lifestyle and fashion entrepreneur when she started her fashion and lifestyle Youtube channel in 2011. She is the co-Founder of Uncle Studios, an elevated everyday wear that is eco-friendly and includes forever staples pieces for your wardrobe. As a young, chic businesswoman, she is determined to create a space for longevity in clothing wear and showcasing how to make responsible choices while shopping.

photography: Antonia Macbride

Allegra, you started as a content creator before becoming a businesswoman. How did it all start with your fashion and lifestyle Youtube channel and then later other social platforms? 
I started YouTube in high school as a creative outlet when I was going through a challenging time personally. I have always loved fashion and beauty and in high school I was the friend who’d help pick out outfits and touch up make-up, so it really was just another avenue to share my interests. As more social platforms popped up, it was a natural progression for me to show up there too. I really enjoyed making content and didn’t go into it with a long term plan, but a genuine interest and curiosity in an online community. 

What inspired you to become a content creator?
When I started, the term content creator wasn’t what it is today. We had some OG YouTubers who definitely inspired my early work, like Casey Neistat and Michelle Phan, but at the time for me, it was really just a place to have fun, experiment with video and photo, and play with clothes and make-up. In 2016, I decided to see if I could make a career out of it after graduating university and I was fortunate enough to make a name for myself and build a really loyal community online. 

photography: Andrew Obtinalla
photography: Andrew Obtinalla

In 2017, you launched Uncle Studios as the co-founder. How did you and your partner come up with the idea to start your own clothing brand?
We both had a love for all things fashion. We’d share runway photos, talk about styling for hours and loved playing dress up in each other’s closets. We both felt our best in a white tee that we kept rebuying from the classic mall fast fashion brands and naively thought how hard could it be to make one that actually lasted. We really didn’t go into it thinking we were starting a brand or building this direct-to-consumer business. We wanted to fix a problem with a piece of clothing that we both really loved and always reached for when we didn’t know what to wear, but wanted to feel good. 

Uncle Studios is an elevated everyday wear that is eco-friendly and with a focus on sustainability. Why are these core values the focus of your brand? 
While it is a core value for us, we want it to be a core value and really just the standard for every business to adhere to. We knew if we were going to start something, doing it mindfully was the only way to do it. 

Why do you believe we should practice eco-friendliness and sustainability in all aspects of our lives?
I know eco-friendliness and sustainability are such talking points right now and sometimes feel really overwhelming on an individual level. How I like to practice it, and how we look at it at Uncle, is making every decision and piece mindfully. When you take time to design and do it with a respectful intention to our community, the planet and our supply chain, you are acting with eco-friendliness in mind. When we are mindful of what we consume, how we shop and where we shop, we are taking consideration of the earth in more aspects of our lives.  

photography: Antonia Macbride
photography: Antonia Macbride

What does fashion in general represent to you?
Fashion for me has always been a medium to express myself. I have so many different versions of myself and I love that I can use different uniforms and styling to portray who I want to be that day. It’s also always been a tool of empowerment. I genuinely have more confidence in myself and how I carry myself when I feel good in my outfit and clothes. There’s a sense of pride knowing the pieces I’m wearing are well made as well. 

As a businesswoman, you are determined to create a space for longevity in clothing wear and showcasing how to make responsible choices while shopping. What are your best advice on responsible shopping for our readers?
One rule I always have when shopping is to create 3 – 5 outfits in your mind off the bat with the piece you’re thinking about purchasing. This allows me to really consider if this serves a purpose in my wardrobe and if it’s something that will help me build practical uniforms for my lifestyle. 

The brand also prides itself in actively engaging with your community and creating a sense of family both online and in real life. How do you take care of this wonderful relationship with your community? 
I really try to nurture both my personal community and Uncle’s in the same way, talking to them like a friend and making content and products that add value to their lifestyles. At Uncle, we really try to evoke a feeling of nostalgia and family in our campaigns and pieces so when they are shopping with us, there’s always a warm inviting feeling. 

What actions do you take on constantly engaging them?
We love hosting IRL whenever we can. We have a lot of fun building out fun themes for our activations and seeing familiar faces at these events makes it extra special. We chat with our community regularly and make direct changes to products, our website and how we handle business based on their feedback. 

photography: Bobby Dunn
photography: Bobby Dunn

You also work with charities, like Daily Bread Food Bank and Charity Water. Can you share a bit more about the work you do with them?
I donate to both causes on a monthly basis. I raised some money with Charity Water for my birthday one year too, which was really special. I’d love to find more ways to get involved with them outside of monetary donations in the future.

Why is charitable work so dear to you?
Charitable work is near and dear to my heart because I know how fortunate I am and I really believe in the power of community and helping each other out as a human collective. So many hardships people go through are symptoms of broken systems and luck of the draw, where you’re born, what you look like, etc., so being able to give back is really important for me when I know I’ve been so lucky in so many aspects of my life. 

How do you like spending your free time?
I’ve been working really hard for a long time, so I’ve found it hard to make time for hobbies. And then when I did find free time, I felt a sense of guilt if it wasn’t used for something productive. Right now, I really enjoy looking up old photographs, of old buildings, how Toronto used to look, 60s and 70s pop culture. I am also such a sucker for reality TV. Is there anything better than lying on the couch and binging nonsense TV?

What are your goals and dreams for the future?
I have big goals and dreams and they are constantly changing and shifting with the times, but I always come back to happy and healthy. I know life has so many ebbs and flows, so I will be proud knowing I’ve built a life where me and the people around me are both happy and healthy. I’m always pushing myself to try new things and be better, but having a goal like that really helps anchor me to what really matters in life.