The third season of “The Fashion Fund” won’t launch on Amazon Video until February 25, but last Thursday, a few lucky students from schools such as Parsons, F.I.T., the School of Visual Arts, Pratt and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts got a special preview at Morgan Library.

They were invited to the premiere party alongside Gilles Mendel, Odell Beckham Jr., Marina Rust,  Allison Sarofim, Rodrigo Bazan, Caroline Brown, Gigi Burris, Creatures of the Wind’s Shane Gabier and Christopher Peters and Tanya Taylor, to name a few.

Anna Wintour and Diane von Furstenberg, both on the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Selection Committee, introduced the episode, which was followed by a Q&A with the 2015 finalists conducted by Public School’s Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, who won the fund’s top honor in 2013.

CFDA.com compiled some of the best moments of the talk:

On the hardest part of being in the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund:

“It was such an emotional process and we all became really very close. I have literally cried to every single one of you on the phone.” – Aurora James, Brother Vellies

“Being on high alert at all times. You never knew if the whole crew was going to show up. You never knew when there was an email you had to reply to on 0.2 seconds.” – Becca McCharen, Chromat.

On how the process has influenced the approach to fall-winter 2016:

“We have done presentations for three or four seasons and we felt that we had to step it up. We had 16 women’s looks so it was creating both men’s and women’s and making sure it’s cohesive.” – Raul Arevalo, Cadet

“It was one of the special introspective, retrospective moments for a designer. It was pushing me to look at other things to create something. I grew more in a short amount of time than I think I have ever done before.” – Matt Baldwin, Baldwin

The Finalists’ advice for students wishing to apply to the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund

“Go out into the world, and really put yourself in some new experiences. If you can, take some time off from school, and travel the world. Find some stories and then come and share them.” – Thaddeus O’ Neil

“Don’t be afraid of hard work. It’s so easy to be discouraged. We learned through this process that you don’t always win. Of course, we would love to win. But it’s what comes outside of the things that don’t go your way originally. Usually they push you or your brand.” – John Targon, Baja East

On how CVFF has impacted the business:

“Since we were announced as one of the finalists, I started getting phone calls from buyers from North America who never even knew what Gypsy Sport was. Also, the collection has grown and I have grown as a person. It’s a full process for me and my brand,” – Rio Uribe, Gypsy Sport.

On a moment the finalists regretted or are terrified to see on screen:

“Everyone is looking at me obviously, hysterically crying. I really made a choice…that, if I make an effort to put up a façade every time these people are here, I am going to lose. I know I am not going to have the bandwidth to put on lip gloss, or wear a dress or do all the things you are supposed to do when you are on a TV show with Anna. I just decided to let it go and cry if I wanted to cry or not wear makeup the whole season. I don’t regret it.” Aurora James, Brother Vellies

“Turning off the a/c when they came to film the show. It was summer. They can’t hear you if the a/c is on.” – Jonathan Simkhai

“I worked in a basement in the Garment District. I shared my space with a factory so there is constant noise of sewing machines, Chinese opera music, and lots of characters. I would like to see what that looks like on the show.” – Rio Uribe, Gypsy Sport

One word to describe your brand:

“Alternative.” – Rio Uribe, Gypsy Sport

“Simkhai.” – Jonathan Simkhai

“Diane said we’re boring, but I would describe ourselves as masculine.” – Brad Schmidt, Cadet

“Grace.” – Matt Baldwin, Baldwin

“Nostalgic.” – David Hart

“Traditionalist.” Chris Gelinas, CG

“Wanderlust.” – Scott Studenberg, Baja East

“Uplifting.” Aurora James, Brother Vellies

“Empowering.” Becca McCharen, Chromat

The Finalists’ first jobs:

“Residential construction. I poured concrete.” – Becca McCharen, Chromat

“Sales associate at Club Monaco.” – Aurora James, Brother Vellies

“Receptionist at a hair salon.”  —  John Targon, Baja East

“Mowing lawns.” – Thaddeus O’ Neil

“A janitor at Universal Studios.” – Rio Uribe, Gypsy Sport

“I cleaned cages at the pet store.” – Jonathan Simkhai

On the Finalists’ Fashion Crush:

“David Hart.” – Chris Gelinas, CG

“Rio Uribe.” – Aurora James, Brother Vellies

“Bjork.” – Becca McCharen, Chromat

“Lisa Bonet.” –Scott Studenberg, Baja East

“Helmut Lang.” – John Targon, Baja East

“I have to say Chris Gelinas too, and also Antonio Azzuolo.” – David Hart

“Rei Kawakubo meets Oscar Wilde.” – Thaddeus O’ Neil

“Christophe Lemaire meets Ralph Lauren.” – Matt Baldwin, Baldwin

“The Smith kids.” – Rio Uribe, Gypsy Sport

“Raul.” – Brad Schmidt, Cadet

“Brad. And Jean Paul Gaultier.” – Raul Arevalo, Cadet