“Every time I write about someone, the number one [response] I get is ‘I never thought I would be written about in Vogue’ or ‘I never thought anyone would write about my work, period,’ and it’s frustrating that that’s so common,” he says. “[We] should be writing about these artists because their work is out of this world and it’s such a shame that people aren’t discovering them. Every time I hear [their surprise at being featured], it drives me to do it even more because this has got to stop being the reaction.”

Given that Allaire comes from a community-focused people, it is unsurprising that he wants more for the talented creators he highlights in his work. It also goes without saying that his intended audience for his latest book are younger versions of himself. “I wanted to show Indigenous youth that you can do anything—like, if I’m from a small town in Canada and can somehow end up working at Vogue in New York City, you can too,” he says. “I didn’t come from money; I made this happen out of sheer will, sheer luck and maybe a little bit of talent. [With the book], I wanted to show that you can make your wildest dreams come true but also that paths to success are not linear. There isn’t just one way to get there—my path was certainly messy at times, and I had a lot of setbacks—so I just wanted to be honest and show that it might be hard to get to where you want to be, but just persevere and keep doing it, because somehow that worked for me.”

Before he prepares for a night of fashion shows and, presumably, more writing, Allaire reflects momentarily on releasing his private life into the public. He’s nervous but not scared, he says. He’s in his confident era—deservedly so—because wherever he is, whether at Vogue or at home in Nipissing, he no longer feels like an imposter. “When you find your niche in fashion and [your] voice and style of writing, you become more confident as a result. It’s important to find your It factor in fashion.”