Allegra Shaw is not just your average digital content creator. With her fashion and lifestyle YouTube channel, she has become a prominent voice in the industry, inspiring and engaging close to 1M subscribers. But what truly sets Allegra apart is her commitment to making a positive impact on the world. In 2017, she co-founded Uncle Studios, an eco-friendly fashion brand that focuses on clean fabrics and community. Through her brand, she aims to take the modern human through life with elevated pieces that are also sustainable. Allegra's influence extends beyond the digital realm, as she has been recognized by prestigious publications and media outlets for her expertise in sustainability in the fashion and beauty marketplace. With her transparent and honest approach, she has built a strong community of like-minded individuals. But she doesn't stop at creating fashion; she also gives back through her involvement in charitable organizations. Continue reading to learn more about Allegra and how she’s making waves and proving that fashion and sustainability can go hand in hand.

Where are you based?
Toronto, Ontario. Born and raised here!

Can you tell us about your journey as a digital content creator and how you got started on YouTube?
I started on YouTube as a creative outlet during a hard time in my life when I was around 18. I was really doing it as a hobby, and continued having fun with it while I was in university. I dove into it professionally a year after graduating to see if I could make something of it and with some hard work and dedication, I managed to grow a community and work with brands. Digital content creation wasn’t like what it is today, so navigating the beginning stages of influencer partnerships was really interesting. I’ve been fortunate enough to be doing this for this long, and I’ve had some incredible experiences along the way.

What inspired you to start your fashion and lifestyle YouTube channel?
Like I mentioned, it was really just a hobby since so much of my passions were in fashion, beauty and self-development. I was always the friend who helped with makeup and figuring out what to wear so doing it online with a larger community felt really fulfilling for me.

How do you think your channel has evolved since you first started in 2011?
My content has evolved in many ways but also has remained true to why I started it in the first place — a way to connect with women who were navigating relationships, school, work and finding their taste and style. I've obviously adapted with the times and trends but have tried my best to stay true to myself and my audience. I'm more mindful than ever about how my content resonates with people, and the sort of influence I could have on the younger demographic.

Can you explain the concept behind Uncle Studios and what inspired you to start the brand?
Uncle Studios was born on a feeling — the feeling when you put on a good outfit and feel so like yourself. My business partner Shirin and I always have felt the most ourselves in a white tee. We kept rebuying the same fast fashion brand ones, and thought how hard could it be to make one that actually lasts when it's our most worn and beloved piece in our closets? We naively jumped into the cut and sew world with zero experience in fashion design or textiles but with a simple goal of making our favorite tee in a fabric that could stand more than 4-5 washes.

What sets Uncle Studios apart from other fashion brands in the market?
I think what makes us different is we aren’t putting ourselves in this “eco-friendly” green washing box even though we take good measures to be mindful of our environment and supply chain. We believe the efforts we take and can take even as a small business should be the standard for all apparel brands. We’re also slowly building so we can stand the rest of time and not just be a viral moment for a season or two.

Sustainability is a big focus for Uncle Studios. How do you incorporate sustainability into your design process and production?
We define sustainability as mindfulness and intention because at the end of the day we are creating new products and don’t have a fully circular supply chain. What we mean by mindfulness is when we design, we critically think about how the piece can serve multiple purposes in our community’s closet and how can we produce it with fabrics that last.

Can you elaborate on the sense of community that Uncle Studios aims to create, both online and in real life?
Similar to the feeling that we started Uncle on, we want to create the warm feeling of nostalgic memories of family in everything we do. We always build a little world with every pop up and invite our community into different glimpses of the Uncle universe. We know lots of the community by first name, we make changes to designs and how we do business based on their feedback, we engage in the DMs and help find their perfect uniform.

How would you like more people to work towards sustainable lifestyles?
I feel if you change your perspective of sustainability to mindful consumption, it’s not as daunting. Really considering why you’re buying something or even consuming something will help you make mindful decisions. Another framework I come back to is the three R’s - recycle, repair, reuse. Just because it has a little hole, doesn’t mean it needs to be tossed — just needs some extra care.

As someone who values spirituality and emotional wellness, how do you incorporate these aspects into your work and daily life?
I take self-care very seriously, because I genuinely believe if you don’t feel good you can’t do good. Meditation has changed my life for the better, and I try to do that almost every day. I surround myself with people, both personally and professionally, who care about me and push me to be my best. I try to move my body regularly.

Can you tell us about your current charity work with the Daily Bread Food Bank and Charity Water?
I donate monthly to both organizations! Daily Bread is one that is close to my heart, and I’m so grateful to be able to help. Charity Water is an amazing cause that really strives to make a difference and provide clean and safe drinking water. Food security, clean water and women empowerment are causes that I am passionate about and hope to continue to support.

What advice do you have for aspiring digital content creators or entrepreneurs in the fashion industry?
Find an interesting point of view, or taste. Go into it for the right reasons — not money, or status or free product. Find your North Star and adapt with the tides, but keep going.

How do you stay motivated and inspired in your work?
This is definitely tough sometimes, especially in the culture of social media where you’re bombarded with everyone’s successes. I get motivated from setting goals and working towards them — I like making little games and targets for myself to reach. I find inspiration in old film and runway, stories from my parents, honestly my friends and team.

Can you share any upcoming projects or collaborations that you’re excited about?
We’re rolling out fall campaigns and pieces right now at Uncle and I’m so excited for it. The pieces are such good quality and work SO well in your wardrobe. I love the campaign and all the content we made for it. Feels so true to the brand and what makes it so special. We’re working on a pop up for the near future as well. The world we’re creating this time is gonna be really fun.

What is your motto in life?
It’s all temporary — helps me not dwell on things too much and know that the bad won't last, but the good won’t stay, so you gotta make the most of it.

To learn more about Allegra Shaw & Uncle Studios, please follow the links below:
Instagram @allegrashaw
Tik Tok @allegrashaw
YouTube: Allegra Shaw
Uncle IG: @unclexstudios
www.unclexstudios.com

Photo Credit: Antonia MacBride

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