Allegra Handelsman

Allegra Handelsman is a 24-year-old London-based writer, poet and journalist. Her work ranges from satirical fiction and spoken word poetry to cultural journalism and essays. Handelsman has built a following from her work as a journalist, writing social commentary on culture and film, for publications such as The Times, British Vogue, The London Standard, Tatler and A Rabbit’s Foot. She has also gained recognition through her late-night poetry readings which she hosts in different venues around London, always drawing a large audience comprised of some of the city’s brightest young creatives.

Her creative writing focuses on modern femininity, sexuality, and society, and is cloaked in a distinctly melancholy though youthful tone. By delving into the crisis of authentic identity of the modern age, which can often play out in fixations like nostalgia, self- concealing and gatekeeping, Handelsman’s work is firmly rooted in the understanding of her generation (gen z). With a bachelor’s degree in politics and sociology, Handelsman uses her academic experience to also comment on the hypocrisy of high society – a process which is energised by an essence of self-reflection.

In 2024, Allegra Handelsman became the first writer to put the idea of the “performative male” into print, with her Times article “I’ Wouldn’t Date a Man Reading Catcher in the Rye.” The piece is now cited in the history section of the Wikipedia page for the term, cementing her role in shaping the cultural conversation before it went viral.

This recognition speaks to Handelsman’s ability to capture the mood of her generation and articulate it with clarity and wit. With her finger firmly on the pulse of what matters, she has established herself as an impactful voice who can anticipate the trends, debates, and shifts that define contemporary culture.