Student Spotlight: Sam Cohn
Spotlight on Sam Cohn, the Creator of Moda Magazine by Jordan Sgrosso
As a sophomore, Sam Cohn created Westminster’s first fashion publication, Moda Magazine. Sam is now a freshman at Columbia University, so this is the first year that she will not be working on the magazine. As a way to honor all of her hard work and dedication, I wanted to ask her a few questions for future readers to get to know the fun and stylish Sam Cohn!
Where did you get the idea for creating Moda?
The idea to create Moda stemmed from my obsession with Vogue. I've collected magazines since freshman year and thought it would be fun to create a fashion magazine at Westminster that highlighted realistic student style and showcased individualism at school.
What did you want Moda to achieve when you started it?
First of all, I wanted Moda to create a community for its staff, so that students who were really interested in fashion could talk about trends and shows and movements in the fashion industry. The second objective in creating Moda was to make dressing up at school cool and to encourage students to test their boundaries and show off their unique and personal styles. I think Moda gave me a lot of motivation to try and express my own personal styles and I hope that was the effect for some of the student body too.
What was your favorite project you worked on as a leader of Moda?
My favorite project that I ever worked on as a Moda leader was definitely our monochromatic shoot. When we started the magazine, producing our own editorial content was always a farfetched dream and I was super excited when we made it happen and a big group of people got to be a part of the process.
What do you hope the future leaders of MODA create for the magazine?
I hope that you guys do whatever you want with the magazine honestly, if you want to change everything and start from scratch, please don't be afraid to do it! I hope the magazine reflects whatever vision you guys come up with and I hope y'all will try to push boundaries and adapt to the way we consume fashion media now.
What are three words to describe your style?
Three words to describe my style are probably playful, colorful, and casual.
What do you think influences your style?
I think my style is inspired heavily by Emma Chamberlain, as basic as that is haha, I also just think pop culture, in general, tends to affect the way that I dress, but I try to stay true to pieces that I'll be comfortable and confident in.
How do you express yourself through your style?
I think fashion has always been a way to boost my confidence, even if I have a hard day ahead that I'm not super excited about, I can always put on a fun outfit that will boost my mood throughout the day. I love wearing an outfit that makes me feel more confident throughout the day.
Favorite places to shop?
My favorite places to shop are probably Brandy Melville for basics, Zara for trendy and cheap pieces and also denim, the Clothing warehouse for vintage graphic tees, and For Love and Lemons is probably my favorite label.
After reading this article, I hope you feel as if you know Sam Cohn a little better. Moda’s team and I want to thank Sam for creating a space where students can create and explore their interests in fashion. I hope Moda Magazine will continue to change and grow as leaders keep pushing the team to design and construct the magazine.