Cosmopolitan Strengthens Editorial Team

Polina Sokhranova will act as editor-in-chief for Cosmopolitan, Russia’s No. 1 glossy magazine. Ms. Sokhranova will take over while current editor-in-chief Alexandra Badanina goes on maternity leave, and will answer directly to Cosmopolitan executive director Alexander Yemtsev. Alexandra Badanina and Polina Sokhranova will later head the magazine’s editorial board together.

Polina Sokhranova joins Cosmopolitan after serving as deputy editor-in-chief for Interview magazine since 2011. Prior to that, she acted as editor-in-chief for the site interviewrussia.ru, and from 2006 to 2011 served as fashion editor for Vogue magazine. Ms. Sokhranova graduated in journalism from Lomonosov Moscow State University in 2007.

Suriyana Volkova has also joined the Cosmopolitan team, taking over as art director in place of Ekaterina Nizharadze, who will now serve as art director for special projects and marketing projects for the publication. From 2001 to 2007 Ms. Volkova worked as designer for InStyle, Marie Claire and Moto magazines. In 2007, she earned a diploma with honors in a Design for Periodicals course at the British Higher School of Design.

“Cosmopolitan celebrates its 20th anniversary in Russia in 2014,” said Cosmopolitan executive director Alexander Yemtsev. “It has occupied the No. 1 position among glossy magazines throughout all those years. And over the course of those 20 years, Russian women have become more sophisticated: They prefer only high-quality content and their expectations are constantly rising. By bringing in high-powered professionals who have experience working with leading glossy publications, we can perfect the Cosmopolitan formula. This combination of complementary talents enables Cosmopolitan to remain the leader of the women’s magazine segment. I wish Ms. Sokhranova and Ms. Volkova luck and believe that, working together, we can once again give the market a few surprises,” he said.

“It makes me particularly pleased to lead the magazine’s team in this anniversary year,” said Polina Sokhranova. “Life only really starts at 20, which means we have a lot of new discoveries ahead. I hope that my previous experience with international glossy publications will help bring new and interesting additions to the pages of Cosmo. It is a great honor for me and an invaluable opportunity to work for a magazine that shapes an entire generation of young, beautiful and self-confident Russian women,” she said.

According to Alexandra Badanina, “The anniversary year of our favorite magazine happened to coincide with a very important event in my personal life: I am about to become a mother. My colleague, Polina Sokhranova, will deal with all of the important questions concerning the development of Cosmopolitan, partner relations and the content of the upcoming issues. I wish her luck, strength and inspiration. I am certain that the best women’s magazine will have a great anniversary year! This is not goodbye — I will see you soon on the pages of Cosmo,” Badanina said.

“The women’s magazine with the largest readership in Russia deserves to have the most creative approach,” said Suriyana Volkova. “Every last detail of its content should convey strong emotions and plenty of surprises for its readers. It is definitely the best job an art director could hope for,” she said.

Cosmopolitan is the No. 1 glossy magazine in Russia. It’s impossible to meet a girl who has never heard of or read Cosmopolitan. The magazine has become a real and loyal friend to its permanent readers, informing them on fashion, make-up, relations, sex and many other things. Today Cosmo is more than a magazine — it's a lifestyle.