“All of you have a very strong point of view and a very strong identity, so stick with that,” Diane von Furstenberg told a rapt audience on Wednesday night. The CFDA Chairwoman opened her studio for an intimate gathering with the ten CFDA {Fashion Incubator} designers: Alexandra Alvarez of Alix, Aurora James of Brother Vellies, Charles Youssef, Daniel DuGoff of DDUGOFF, Tim and Dan Joo of Haerfest, Jason and Julie Alkire of Haus Alkire, Ji Oh; Katie deGuzman and Michael Miller of K/LLER Collection,Thaddeus O’Neil, and Molly Yestadt of Yestadt Millinery.

Now in its fourth iteration, the {Fashion Incubator} is a two-year mentor program for fashion labels with the goal of fostering brand growth. Through the initiative, chosen designers are granted low-cost studio space in Manhattan’s Garment District and are treated to a series of seminars, workshops, and lectures with luminaries in the field.

Throughout the evening, von Furstenberg imparted some of the wisdom she has gleaned over her career of more than 40 years.

“When you’re the beginner of a business, it’s important to stand for something,” she said. “And stick as much as possible to what you stand for because that will become your identity. Sometimes people will say, ‘become a lifestyle [brand]’. Don’t do that. Just focus on what you do best. My advice would be: stand by your craft and be the best at it.”

Von Furstenberg also emphasized the importance of pacing the growth of one’s business while maintaining a strong dialogue with the customer. “Try to go directly to the consumer as you possibly can,” she offered. “Make a name for yourself that way.”

She closed the conversation by quizzing the designers on what they had learned from the session. Answers ranged from “be nimble” (James) to “focus on direct communication with the consumer” (Youssef).

“And what did I learn from you?” von Furstenberg asked. “That the Incubator is a fantastic program.”