The fitness industry is more popular now than it has ever been. Ranging from workout classes to nutrition to clothing lines, we’ve all dabbled in the fitness realm in one way or another. This next girl boss is killing it in this industry. She not only owns a clothing brand for activewear and swimwear, but she is also a certified personal trainer and online fitness coach. She is known for her result-driven circuit training and yoga-infused recovery and has taught for and collaborated with brands such as Bandier, Technogym, and Nike.
Meet Allegra Paris, owner & designer of Allegra Paris Brand and AP FIT programs. Her eco-friendly clothing brand is an online hand-painted swimwear and activewear business that is designed in NYC and made the U.S. Each of her pieces is designed to be resilient yet firm to flatter the body’s natural curves and movement. Her AP FIT programs are 100% customizable and focus on sculpting your body as well as creating a mind-body relationship. If you’re looking for some new activewear or a new approach to a healthy lifestyle, check out Allegra Paris!
Name: Allegra Paris
Businesses: Allegra Paris Brand //
Allegra Paris FIT
Established Year: 2017
Instagram: @allegraparis // @allegraparisbrand
Website: allegraparis.com // allegraparisbrand.com
Tell me more about YOU, the dedicated and hardworking Girl Boss behind the business.
My name is Allegra Paris Fasulo and I’m originally from upstate NY (I actually grew up on a farm)! I moved to NYC to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology.
There, I studied Entrepreneurial Studies and Fashion Business. While in school, I started a hand-painted swimsuit line that morphed into an activewear & swimwear brand called Allegra Paris Brand, which I currently still design and operate!
I was always an athlete, so when I moved to NYC, I became obsessed with group fitness classes. My ex bf was studying for his National Academy of Sports Medicine Certification so I decided, why not, I’ll do it too! One thing led to another and I found myself teaching group fitness and taking on personal training clients.
My other passions are art, interior design, fitness (both working out and training my clients), shopping, and spending time with friends and family. This is strange but I also love cooking and finding ways to take traditional recipes and make them healthier, for my clients and for myself!
Tell us more about your business and how you became a Girl Boss.
As I mentioned above, I was so excited to get “competitive” again in group fitness classes, it brought back the excitement I felt running track & cross country in high school.
I tried out SO many things including teaching group fitness, taking in-person clients, then teaching Zoom classes, and even doing on-demand workout videos. The last few I listed were a product of COVID, however, they really did lead me to my strongest business model yet.
Aside from running the clothing brand, which I am very passionate about, I molded my training business into an online coaching business called Allegra Paris FIT.
Initially, it was a way to still train my in-person clients during COVID, assuming it was a temporary deal. However, after months of perfecting the art, I realized there is a huge market for virtual training and coaching because of its efficiency and easability.
I now run and operate Allegra Paris FIT through a mobile app clients can download. In the AP FIT app, clients have access to their workout plans (including demo videos I filmed), meal plans, progress tracking, and messaging!
While the world is so hectic, I’ve decided to focus primarily on Allegra Paris FIT to encourage people in the best way I know how: through physical movement and transforming their bodies & minds.
What does it mean to you to be a #GIRLBOSS?
Hmm, you know it’s funny, I’ve never called myself a Girl Boss, usually my sister (an amazing entrepreneur – Girl Boss Alex Fasulo) and I just call ourselves aggressive. Haha, not in a bad way, we are just women on a mission, and we were raised to believe we are equal to men, especially in business.
I hustle SO hard but I don’t necessarily believe I do it for the result but rather for the process and how good it feels to be productive, help people, and get sh** done!
I’m extremely dedicated to the grind, but I’m also a huge believer in balance. So for all the grinding that I do, I treat myself to traveling, spending time with loved ones, and the occasional shopping spree.
What do you love most about running your own business and being a Girl Boss?
I love the flexibility to be honest. I tried working for people, many times! I literally used to joke that I “wished” I could work for someone! I interned at Zac Posen, Fox News, I worked as a bottle waitress, then I worked in the fitness industry. Every single time I would get the urge to “take a risk” and go do my own thing.
I would rather work my butt off then have someone tell me what time I have to come to work, how much I can get paid, and what I can and cannot do.
Entrepreneurship was in my blood and pretty inevitable for me. It has a lot of ups and downs, but everyday I fall in love with it more and more.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in being a business owner?
It was a lot of trial and error for sure. I had to try so many different things to see what I actually liked and not what I thought I should like. I went through an extensive learning program at a stretch therapy facility shortly after getting my personal training certification. I’m forever grateful for the knowledge I gained from that, it helped me see that I love learning about the muscular system. I did not stay at the facility because I knew, yet again, that I needed to go build my own “thing.”
I tried group fitness instruction as well, but realized I couldn’t always “show up” in the way I needed to. I lost my dad tragically in 2017, so it is fresh and there were days I could not put a smile on my face. This helped me to analyze my emotions and again, I’m thankful for each step of the way.
I began to realize that my passion lied in working with the individual. I am so fascinated by the body and I believe everyone has their own set of needs and requirements. I get so excited when a client reaches a new goal and actually sees progress in their journey. So yeah, I’d say just trying all options and not allowing myself to give up.
Is there a moment during your career that stands out to you and validates your decision to become a Girl Boss?
I was always determined to succeed in the NYC fitness industry. I was around so many professionals, and I learned from their ways. I was compiling as much information as I could, and I knew I had the hustle to match.
COVID is the main reason I switched to virtual, however, I am truly grateful because now I have doubled my efficiency, productivity, and now, scalability. Again, I tried out so many things like teaching Zoom classes and offering on-demand videos.
The ah-ha moment for me was when I started to advertise my AP FIT Programs on IG and I had strong, positive feedback for the first time. Emails started pouring in, and people I had never met before were DMing me.
I always knew entrepreneuring was extra work at times and I assumed that that abrasive feeling of forcing something to work was normal. It wasn’t until I launched my AP FIT Programs and received such amazing feedback that I realized it doesn’t have to be SO hard. Now I spend my time making my programs better and actively working with clients.
What advice would you give to aspiring Girl Bosses?
DON’T give up because you literally will achieve whatever you’re working towards- just give yourself no other choice! There’s no “other” option for me!
Also, do NOT compare yourself to anyone else. There was a time when I followed mostly fitness influencers so I could learn from them. After a while, I took all the notes I could, then I realized it was time to do my own thing.
I unfollowed a lot of them, not for any negative reasons, I just found I was comparing myself to them, and that was unhealthy and ruining my productivity.
The ONLY way you can be unique is by being yourself. Both the fashion and fitness industries are so saturated. So the ONLY way to truly offer a unique product is by being authentic and selling a product or service that is your own vision.
Michella Hand 