For this year’s Americans in Paris – Adam Selman, Area, Chloe Gosselin, Ji Oh, KREWE New Orleans Eyewear, Morgan Lane, Brock Collection, NewbarK, and Rochambeau – the second time around proved even better than the first. Over the weekend, the designers, who are all 2016 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists, returned to show their new collections as part of the showcase during Paris Fashion Week.

While the setting, in a townhouse that was once home to Coco Chanel, was quintessentially Parisian, a distinct American influence reverberated through the charming space. Designers and visitors noshed on chocolate chip cookies and sipped on Stumptown coffee courtesy of Stoney Clove Bakery, which may be based in Paris but is American at its core. And thanks to LIFEWTR, everyone was kept hydrated.

The designers agreed that the Fashion Fund instilled them with a sense of community, and said that their brands have grown significantly since Americans in Paris last March through new collaborations and partnerships. Case in point, NewbarK’s Maryam and Marjan Malakpour, who met Theory’s Andrew Rosen through the fund and now partner with Theory on a collection. A need for backstage models led Area’s Beckett Fogg and Piotrk Panszczyk to Teva, which resulted in a chic custom-embellished sandal, while Adam Selman’s wildly popular Fifties-style shades in collaboration with Le Specs resulted in a three-year contract with the eyewear brand.

The fund helped define the brand for Rochambeau’s Laurence Chandler and Joshua Cooper. “It gave us the conviction to ask prominent sculptor and painter Aaron Curry to work with us,” said Chandler. “A year ago, that would have seemed impossible.”

A sense of heightened brand conviction was also the case for Laura Vassar Brock and Kristopher Brock of Brock Collection. “You have to edit what isn’t a part of that core idea,” Laura said. “Brand focus was one of the biggest lessons learned.” Kristopher underscored the privilege of showing as part of Americans in Paris. “The exposure to the industry that walks through here is priceless,” he said. ”We will miss being here next season.”

KREWE’s Stirling Barrett , who opened a store in New York since last season, agreed: “Seeing the talent come through the showroom, explaining my inspiration and showing them the eyewear plus getting feedback — it’s priceless.”

Ji Oh, who recently took sales in-house, ramped up online marketing and focused on her core shirting offerings,  acknowledged the value of working directly with buyers here. “I try to learn from the input,” she said. “I know exactly who my customers are based on these last six months. The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund really helped this aspect of my business.”

Chloe Gosselin pointed to the group’s familiar feeling. “We share the same press and buyer relationships,” she said. “We love each other and we want each other to succeed. I feel incredibly lucky to be here.”

Morgan Curtis of Morgan Lane concurred:  “Getting to be here with all these designers that I love and becoming friends is priceless.”