IN CONVERSATION WITH ALLYIAH GAINER

interview by JANA LETONJA

Entrepreneur and content creator Allyiah Gainer has redefined what it means to be one of the internet’s “it girls.” With over 2 million followers across platforms, she’s built a loyal community through her unfiltered honesty, fresh perspective, and effortlessly chic approach to lifestyle and beauty. From hosting sold-out meet-and-greets to speaking at packed events, Allyiah’s influence goes far beyond the screen. Now, she’s stepping into the fragrance world with her debut perfume duo in collaboration with Dossier, Better Days and Of the Hour, which sold out in under 24 hours. With her signature blend of authenticity and ambition, she is shaping her empire one venture at a time, proving that she’s not just a creator, but a powerful voice in beauty, fashion, and entrepreneurship.

Congratulations on the sold-out launch of your debut perfume. How did the collaboration with Dossier first come about, and how did it feel when the collection sold out in less than 24 hours?

Thank you! This opportunity was brought to me by my manager, Regina Harris. She let me know the brand had a serious interest in partnering with me on their first creator collaboration. I was actually very shocked, and nervous at first, but after a good pep talk with her, I knew this was going to be an amazing partnership. 

Seeing my fragrances sell out after only being released to the public for 24 hours was such a crazy feeling. I was excited, a bit shocked, and very overwhelmed with love. It was also a very confirming moment to let me know I made a great choice. 

You were deeply hands-on in developing Better Days and Of the Hour. What was that creative process like?

The process was long, yet very fun and rewarding. I learned so much more about fragrance and perfume as well. From selecting specific fragrance notes that I know I loved to combining them into tester fragrances. You realize quickly that just because something smells good on its own doesn’t mean it combines well with other scents and notes. But eventually we landed on the two winners. 

How did you decide on the duality of a “day” and “night” fragrance?

Funny enough, this wasn’t the initial goal of the fragrances, but after I completed them, it just fit. The goal was to make two individual fragrances that represented my personality and being. But it just so happened to be that I made a light airy fresh “daytime” scent, and a deeper, sexy, sultry “nighttime” scent. 

Which of the two scents feels most like your personal signature, or does it depend on your mood?

It truly depends on my mood, as they both are true representatives of me, but I would say I am ‘Better Days’ majority of the time haha. 

You’ve built a community of over 2 million people. What do you think resonates most with your audience?

I think my personality and personableness has kept us connected and thriving all these years. I may not show up perfect, but I do show up myself. This is what resonates with my girls.

How do you balance sharing personal honesty with keeping some boundaries for yourself?

Being honest with myself about what I’m truly comfortable sharing. I always make sure to prioritize my feelings, safety, and mental health first before sharing online with my community, and my girls get that. I think it actually builds more closeness between us, because it’s honest, even if it isn’t sharing every little detail. 

You’ve been praised for making luxury fashion feel aspirational and mass retailers feel elevated. How do you approach style in a way that feels both relatable and aspirational? 

I think because my audience has been with me and tuning in before I even knew what Loewe or Bottega Veneta was, seeing me now discover these things and wear them with excitement feels like a win for us all. Rather than a boast. I also believe in wearing whatever makes you feel your best, whenever, and that’s how I approach my style everyday. I believe the authenticity is what drives the feeling of “relatable” or “aspirational”.

Which fashion or beauty brands have been dream partners for you, and what are you looking for when partnering with a brand?

Working with Jimmy Choo has been an absolute dream of a partner. A luxury fashion house desiring my work. Such an incredible feeling. Especially because Jimmy Choo was my first ever luxury shoe purchase. I’ve also worked with NARS who are one of my absolute favorite beauty brands. When it comes to partnering, I always make sure it’s a brand I fully believe in. I need to love the products to be able to speak to them positively. I also try to make sure that my audience can see themselves in the brand that I am promoting. 

You’ve also branched into real estate and other ventures. What excites you most about entrepreneurship beyond content creation?

The most exciting aspect for me is the feeling of security that comes with diversifying. Putting my hands in other buckets in case one runs empty will always be a good choice. 

What’s been your proudest business milestone so far?

This is hard to narrow down. I have so many moments that have a brought an unexplainable level of pride. But I will say, my fragrance collaboration with Dossier showed me the sky is the limit for me. It was my first time creating and selling a product, and seeing such amazing success from it gave me a sense of confidence to step into new entrepreneurial spaces. 

When you think about the future, do you see yourself expanding more into fashion design, beauty, or other lifestyle spaces?

Beauty is and has always been my first love. She’ll be calling me home soon.

What can you share with us about your upcoming projects?

All I can say is there’s more to come, and I think you’ll love it even more than what you’ve seen so far. 

TEAM CREDITS

talent ALIYAH GAINER
photography QUINTON AND RON
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
inteview and editorial director JANA LETONJA