by Ilyssa Weiner

Oswego, NY- Fashion at Oswego’s first ever Fashion Week kicked off on Apr. 1.

Imani Cruz created Fashion at Oswego in 2014 after realizing there weren’t any fashion organizations on campus. She was influenced by designers in New York City and Paris.

“I kinda took it upon myself to think ‘You know what? It’d be cool if like we went around campus and took photos of people that were dressed really nice,” she said.

“The week is all about taking pride in how you appear and your appearance,” she said. “By creating Oz Fashion Week, we could light up some fire under students to dress nice just for one week.”

The week started with a pop up shop showcasing outfits created by up-and-coming designers from places such as Syracuse and Ithaca.

Rashaad Holley, a grad student at Buffalo State, is the creator of “Vingt Cinq Rashaad” and one of the designers at the pop up shop. His brand comes from a song lyric about not living past 25 years old.

“I take that and revert it into a positive direction and give people like myself inspiration to ascend as opposed to look at a ceiling and be limited,” Holley said.  

With the success of the pop up shop, Cruz is very positive about Fashion at Oswego’s future.

OSWEGO, N.Y. – Linda Cohn, the Oswego alumnus and sportscaster celebrated her 5,000 episode on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Sunday. Cohn became the first SportsCenter anchor to reach such a mark. Cohn has been a trailblazer for women in sports, but there was still one goal she longed for. Getting a sub named after her at the famed Oswego Sub Shop.

The staple in downtown Oswego is one of the most exclusive clubs for Oswego alumni like Cohn. From Al Roker to Steve Levy, the Oswego Sub Shop is where SUNY Oswego graduates come to be enshrined, in a sandwich.

When skimming the menu, Cohn’s name was nowhere to be seen, but one fan and fellow alumnus is looking to change that.

“She was like, actually I haven’t reached that celebrity status yet because I don’t have a sub at the Oswego sub shop,” said Paul Esden.

Esden, a producer at ESPN radio in Syracuse, N.Y. spoke to Cohn and started the trending topic.

Paul said, “I made the hash tag, I made the meme, and I was like let’s just see what happens.  Cohn’s hash tag #GetCohnASub, has Oswego alumni rallying around her and the sub shop making plans.

“We’d definitely get her input and design it accordingly,” said William Green, the once owner of the Oswego Sub Shop. He sold the family restaurant to his son just a few years back.

Green said, “I had no idea that she was that popular or did that many shows.”

He remembers when Al Roker and Steve Levy got their subs and hopes Cohn will be the same kind of ambassador, they’ve been.

“They never come in here asking for anything, they’re doing it just out of the gratitude and respect of the sub shop,” said Green.

Odds are Cohn shouldn’t have to wait long. Green added, “I wouldn’t be surprised if we had a sub named after her, within the week.”
Cohn’s much-deserved sub is waiting. The Sub Shop even has a spot reserved.