Students at ASU are on a mission to shape Arizonan style, one page at a time.
Style Line Magazine (SLM) is a bi-annually released student-run fashion magazine that operates across Arizona State University campuses, providing real-world editorial and production experience to students in any major.
The club is currently run by Editor-In-Chief Zaina Khan and Creative Director Brielle Cohen — alongside an executive board of six other students. Khan is a senior double-majoring in marketing and management at the W. P. Carey School of Business and minoring in project management at College of Integrative Sciences and Arts.
“I never imagined myself modeling or leading a club, but those experiences helped me grow. On top of that, it’s given me a network of amazing people who inspire me and who I can look up to as I think about my career,” Khan said.
SLM is structured differently from most student clubs. While club meetings are run virtually on Zoom, each week the club has photoshoots to create content for the magazine, blog and social media accounts.
Each photoshoot at Style Line Magazine is fueled by spontaneity and collaboration. Stylists and set assistants shuffle through pieces brought in by various members of the club to create the perfect look as the models have their makeup done.
Tesla Corely, a senior studying fashion business has been a member for two semesters. She works as a stylist and set assistant.
“There is a strong sense of community at every Style Line shoot. It is a group of like-minded peers that love fashion, styling and creating. These are all editorial shoots that we all collaborated on to express ourselves,” Corely said.
SLM has many background roles as well. This includes the blog, articles and marketing efforts within different teams. After the shoots, writers and the social media team create content leading up to issue launch at the end of the semester.
“Style Line has given me experiences I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else. I’ve learned how to lead a team, manage responsibilities and communicate effectively with people who all have different talents and ideas,” Khan said.
Director of Finance, Sydney Klauba, is a junior majoring in fashion design at ASUFIDM. She has been in the club for the past three semesters.
“I would say that my favorite part of being in the club would definitely be all the projects that I've made. The people in this community have been so uplifting and supportive, and have really made it such a positive experience for me,” Klauba said.
There is one issue released per semester and SLM is currently working on its eleventh. Each magazine features six-10 photoshoots done throughout the semester — each directed by the creative director and made possible by the members.
“My favorite shoot was probably the Perfect 10 Shoot,” Corely said. “This shoot was fun because there were multiple looks that progressed as we added more details to our model. As the shoot progressed and the model got more disheveled, she became full of more emotions. We added running mascara, messed up her hair and had her tiara falling off. It was so much fun and had a lot of moving elements to it!” Corely said.
“For new members, my advice would be to put your stuff out there. If you have an idea or a concept, put it out there because we're all here to support each other. No matter how big or how small you may think it is, it is so valuable and will impact the magazine positively,” Klauba said.
The fashion industry can be hard to break into but Style Line provides students with the opportunity to add to their portfolios. Members have been known to land internships and scholarships throughout the years.
Over the summer, Khan worked as a marketing intern for Nordstrom in Seattle, eventually securing herself a full-time position right out of college.
“I want to learn how these companies create experiences that connect with their customers on such a deep level,” Khan said. “In the long run, my dream is to have my own business in the fashion industry, where I can bring together what I’ve learned about creativity, branding, and management.”
In a competitive field like fashion, it is important to find community and support for future endeavors. Style Line Magazine provides a network of people with different skills that can all complement each other — proving that there is space for everyone in the fashion industry.
“Fashion isn’t just about clothes, it’s about identity, expression and connecting with people,” Khan said.