Allegra Shaw Follows Her Gut

Introducing Currently Coveting, a new series that takes you behind-the-scenes of how tastemakers, creatives and fashionable figures are feeling now. Expect insightful career tips, A+ style talk and plenty of fun personal tidbits.

When she’s in need of inspiration, Allegra Shaw looks at old family portraits — of strangers, that is. The Toronto-based content creator and co-founder of clothing brand Uncle Studios pours over pages of picture books at flea markets, relishing in the long-lost art of family dynamics caught on film. “I have a fascination with a pre-internet, pre-technology period,” she says. “Photos from that time feel very raw. You can see real people in them.” Perhaps it’s no surprise that Uncle Studios elicits this same kind of feeling.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Uncle Studios (@unclexstudios)

Founded in 2019 by Shaw and her business partner Shirin Soltani, the label specializes in ethically made elevated basics with an artistic vision often rooted in nostalgia. Naturally, Shaw hopes to bring this romantic sentimentality to its first brick-and-mortar location, opening on Toronto‘s Ossington strip on December 6.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Uncle Studios (@unclexstudios)

“I want it to feel like grandma’s home with some retro-futurism elements,” she says, adding there will be coffee sold and family photos (of course) on display. “I want it to feel warm and inviting.” While running a clothing brand is full of unpredictability, Shaw believes that looking back brings clarity. And at this point, she explains, she’s gotten good at honouring her instincts.

Ahead of Uncle Studio’s new era, FASHION caught up with Allegra Shaw about daily rituals, little luxuries and knowing how to follow through on a hunch. In short, here’s what she’s Currently Coveting.

How she starts her morning

Coffee, workout, meditation. In whatever order, I need to get those three things in. I’ve been meditating for almost nine years, and it’s changed my life. When I first started to get into it, I did a lot of guided sessions. These days, I’ll do that if I’m feeling all over the place, but I mostly do a 10 to 20-minute silent meditation with an app called 10% Happier.

How she describes her personal style

It’s ever-changing. I think the whole fun of fashion is being able to explore different parts of your personality. There are three main things that kind of flow throughout my style: it’s casual, simple — I’m not a huge fan of wearing a lot of layers — and I always have an edgy element. I don’t wear a lot of pink or softer materials. And if I do, I feel like I need to ground them with black.

I used to play a lot with my outfits, but I would go too far and it would feel cosplay-y. But I think that’s how you find your personal style: by going too far. Leaving the house and being like, “Oh, I don’t feel good in this outfit.” Because we’ve all done that. We’ve all thought we looked good in the mirror and left the house and thought, “I need to go home immediately.”

What she’s excited about right now

Opening my store. I have a one-track mind right now! Our brand is very rooted in community, and I can’t wait to give our community a home. Especially at our price point — we aren’t super cheap — it’s nice to be able to try things on and feel the quality. I really like in-person shopping, and I think people want that connection. I also like seeing how a brand manifests itself in real life. Because you can create a world online, but what does that world look like in-person?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Uncle Studios (@unclexstudios)

How she makes a tough career decision

I rely on the people I trust and I always follow my gut. I have a very strong gut feeling, and I’ve really always been confident in it. Honestly, I don’t think it’s ever steered me wrong. The times that I’ve gone and done something I wish I hadn’t, I think I didn’t follow my gut.

The last book that inspired her

The Alchemist. I feel like it’s a magical book; it calls you back when you need it. I read it at the beginning of this year, and I needed it at that time. Before that, the last time I had read it was in my early 20s, and I really needed it then. I find I pull out different parts depending on where I’m at. The lessons in that book kind of got me through this year.

The best advice she’s gotten

When I was either graduating university or high school and trying to make some tough decisions in my life, my mom said to me, “What’s the worst that can happen? You can always come home.” This obviously comes from a privileged place of having my mom to support me, but the push she gave to go and try stuck with me. If it fails, it fails. You just try again, or you try something else.

How she decides which products to launch

We pull from a lot of old photos, but we also pull a lot from movies, whether it’s the storylines, aesthetics or colour combinations. First we build out a story, and then we create products that fit in with the story. A lot of it is: What are we loving? What do we want to wear? Oftentimes when we’re building out a new product, it’s something we’ve been looking for and couldn’t find. Right now, we have a lot of great knitwear. 

What she splurges on

Definitely facials. I go to Jane at Lac + Beauty in Toronto about once a month. I had bad acne for a long time, so it’s important for me keep up with my facials. Also, I am totally fine splurging on a dinner with friends. I’ll never look back at a great dinner eating good food and think it was a waste of money. In Toronto, I love going to Mamakas.

Three things she’s Currently Coveting

Oura ring

It’s a ring that tracks your health — your sleep, your periods, your activity levels. And it connects to an app that you can monitor. I have tried it on a million times and I just need to pull the trigger.

Uncle Studios Big Jumper

I’m loving our Uncle Studios knitwear. I am wearing the big jumper right now and it’s so cozy. I think we did such a great job this season.

Balenciaga Le City bag

I got a second-hand Balenciaga City bag, and it’s become my go-to. It’s so cute and also so functional because my computer can fit inside of it. I wear it out. I wear it to work. It’s just my favourite bag.