Name: Sahana Holla
Hometown: Pleasanton, California
School & Year: GSB’18
Major: Finance & Applied Accounting
1) Tell us about your work with CollegeFashionista.
CollegeFashionista is essentially an online fashion blog tailored to college students. We “Style Gurus” are required to write monthly blog posts that promote upcoming fashion trends and provide tips on how to incorporate those trends into street style. We have about 2,000 Style Gurus join our #GuruGang every semester, and our family continues to grow!
I’ve been given so many opportunities becase of it and I am eternally grateful. I’ve been able to collaborate with brands such as Aerie and Joe Fresh, and was even featured in an MTV article about Summer Style! Funny story about that, nobody told me when the article went live, and one of my friends at Fordham sent me a screenshot of an iMessage conversation on her phone with her friends from home. One of them had recognized me and was like “ISN’T THAT SAHANA?”. Lo and behold, I went wild and saw that my picture was the header picture on the article.
I was also one of the 25 Style Gurus chosen to go to an all expenses paid camping trip hosted by Victoria’s Secret. The camp was called Camp PINK and was in upstate NY in one of the most beautiful areas I have ever seen. We got to meet two of the VS models, get our hair braided, do morning yoga, swim, and just purely enjoy life. And the best part was, all of our clothing was provided. After that, I was chosen to take over the VS snapchat to promote the launch of their new bra!
I’ve also been able to be one of the OG #CFLive crew. #CFLive is essentially a recurring event where I take over the CF snapchat every Sunday for about two hours. I do this with a crew of three other people: Sarah Dewald, Ashleigh Angel (who I met at Camp PINK!), and Andy Jackson. I also was recently chosen to have a #StyleGuruHighlight on, which means I get my own video montage. That was one of the coolest things I have ever done, and it was so fun to film in Chelsea. I got to hang out with the amazing videographer and photographer, Lucy Van Ellis all day and I had a blast! You can check it out on the CF instagram!
Lastly, the most amazing part of my CF experience has been being chosen to be in CollegeFashionista’s first ever recruitment video. I got to hang out with the ladies all day, including the in-house interns and Kali and Lucy Van Ellis (both CF HQ ladies). These people are truly inspiring and genuinely fun to hang out with. We had a great time filming, got pizza and ice cream, and bonded all day while making this. The video turned out AMAZING and really shows you how CF has built a truly inspirational and supportive Guru Gang.
HEADS UP: We are actually planning a CF Panel event here at Fordham where the HQ ladies from NY are coming to campus to chat and speak about CF. Fashion for Philanthropy and I are collaborating to make this happen, and we could not be more excited! And, who doesn’t like Fashionistas, free pizza, and stickers??? It is happening this semester, so stay tuned for that!
2) What’s your favorite Satin Dolls memory?
My favorite Satin Dolls memory would have to be the moments we have as a group backstage in Fordham Prep (Leonard Theater) right before our final concerts. In those moments, you see everyone get together and we all bond together as one collective group. You see the support, the apprehension, and most importantly the excitement as you can’t wait to show everyone what you’ve been working so hard on all semester. You see us become a family, and it is one of the best feelings in the world.
3) If you could pick 3 celebrities to be your entourage, who would they be?
Dani Song for her amazing style, Donald Glover for his entrepreneurial nature, versatility, and humor, and lastly, Kanye West, because I love Kanye like Kanye loves Kanye.
4) If you had a song play every time you walked somewhere, what would it be?
Flume’s Tennis Court Remix – it’s such a jam. Probably my favorite song of all time. I recently saw Flume live (which has been on my bucket list for SO LONG), because I am a concert junkie and legit cried when this song came on. Only tears of happiness, nothing else.
5) What’s a surprising fact about you?
I lived in Frankfurt, Germany for a year my sophomore year of high school! Auf Gehts Deutschland!
6) If you had a reality show, what would it be called?
Team No Shame
7) What’s your biggest phobia?
Farting in public.
8) What cheesy pick-up line always makes you laugh?
“Did it hurt? When you fell from heaven?” That’s one of my friend’s favorites and you get to giggle a little bit every time he says it.
9) If you were to get a tattoo, what would it be?
I was contemplating getting a tattoo for SO long but I could never commit to one. However, the one that I really wanted to get was a small map of the world because I love traveling. My parents are HUGE travelers so I’m very privileged in the sense where I’ve been able to travel to a great amount of places in the world. So, my tattoo would be a tiny map of the world!
10) What is your favorite thing about Fordham?
My favorite thing about Fordham is of course the amazing people that I’ve met at college. Fordham has brought together a greatly diverse crowd, and it’s so easy to find someone you click with really well. I know that I have made friends here that I will be friends with for a lifetime.
11) Do you have any advice for your fellow collegiettes?
Never be afraid to do what you love. So many times people tell me, “You’re a finance and applied accounting major, yet your extracurricular activities are being part of an a cappella group and writing for a fashion blog? How do those relate?” I have to say that without CollegeFashionista and my Fordham Satin Dolls, I would not be happy at Fordham. I chose to pursue these extracurricular activities because they make me genuinely happy. For me, they are an escape. If you feel passionate about something, then DO IT. Never feel as though everything needs to be centered around the future. Enjoy yourself, and do what you love, because at the end of the day, your happiness is what matters.
Pick one:
Broadway show or Yankees game?
Broadway show, without a doubt.
Bronx Zoo or Botans?
Botans! Who doesn’t love flowers & all the pretty colors??
Arthur Ave or Fordham Road?
Arthur Ave, I cannot get enough Italian food.
Backstreet Boys or *NSYNC?
Backstreets back, ALRIGHT.