Art by Alexander Schaef, @_alexschaef_ on Instagram

Written by Sophie Meyers, @sophiemmey on Instagram

I thought I would check in with our two of our favorite e-board members from last year - Sloane Applebaum, last year’s VP of Finance and Management and Jessa Chargois, last year’s CFC President! They both graduated last spring and we couldn’t miss them more. Keep reading for life updates, and some excellent advice from two of your CFC faves.

Question: I miss you guys! What are you up to now?

Sloane: I live in Cincinnati, Ohio. I work for Procter & Gamble and I’m a process engineer in our Fabric Care division, so I work with laundry brands like Tide, Downy, and Gain. Most of my responsibilities are focused in managing and optimizing inventory across our supply chain.

Jessa: I now live in New York City, working for Peerless Clothing, the largest manufacturer of men's tailored clothing in North America. On a daily basis, I work with the buyers of major retailers and specialties stores to bring tailored clothing to the masses. Peerless Clothing manufacturers and designs for countless brands, such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Michael Kors, to name a few. After work, I freelance write for Chillhouse's online publication, The Chill Times and the luxury resale site, Heroine. In my personal life, I've been working to balance self-care and work, trying to navigate the busy life New York City often brings to recent graduates. Truthfully, I am really happy with where I am.

Question: What’s your favorite CFC memory?

Sloane: My favorite memory was on the night of the runway show, standing backstage and watching each collection as they took the stage. Seeing the show come together live validated all the hard work we’d put in for months, and it felt amazing to watch the audience experience our designers’ incredible work. I particularly remember standing backstage while Grace Lawson’s collection went on stage and locking eyes with Jessa, who was on the other side of the stage, and this incredible feeling washed over me like “wow, we did this!” It was without a doubt the highlight of my Cornell experience.

Jessa: It probably comes as no shock when I say that my senior year and time at Cornell University was greatly impacted by the Cornell Fashion Collective. It was an absolute honor to lead this organization as President, and it was a period of personal growth for myself. Truthfully, my favorite memory was having the opportunity to send out each model on to the runway for the sold-out crowd last March. Watching the beaming faces of the designers as their friends and models take the catwalk in their creations is a unique experience like no other, and it was truly an honor to watch the magical night come together, surpassing all of our expectations.

Images via Sloane & Jessa’s Instagrams: @sloaneapplebaum & @j _charrr_

Question:What have you learned from your experience as vice president/president of CFC?

Sloane: My role in CFC taught me how to be an effective leader to all different kinds of people. Being the VP of Management and Finance allowed me to work on both the creative and financial sides of the show. Each side had different challenges and aspirations; the designers are really passionate about the beauty and excitement of the show, and the management team focuses in on the logistics, making sure the evening runs smoothly. I got to be a part of both thought processes, which taught me so much about compromise and balance. I also learned how to lead my peers, which was so challenging at first, but now being in the workplace and interacting with people of all ages, I’ve been able to continue building on the skills I developed as a leader of CFC.

Jessa: As a past president of the Cornell Fashion Collective, I had to work with an array of personalities, something that prepared me for the professional workforce. I learned a lot about how I personally handle stress and planning, as well as how I can motivate my peers in unique ways. I've learned that I am a passionate leader who can benefit by listening to my team, and just because I have an idea of how to deal with a situation, sometimes others have more logical ways to handle a problem.

Question: Do you have any advice for current CFC members?

Sloane: I look back on my time at Cornell and think about the things that used to stress me out - exams, deadlines, late nights in Olin. Once you graduate, all those things seem so unimportant. I wish I’d spent more time on the things that made me happy. I found so much joy in my extracurriculars at Cornell, and while I wouldn’t downplay the importance of class, I would say that my clubs and leadership positions are what really prepared me to take on my life after college. So I guess my advice would be, throw yourself into your passion, spend your time doing what you love, and always leave your organization/club/team/group better than you found it.

Jessa: Do not let yourself become complacent. If you create and lead based on what we "have always done", you will not advance the organization to the positive future we all foresee. Believe in yourself, because if you do, others will follow.

Written by Sophie Meyers, @sophiemmey on Instagram

Follow Sloane and Jessa on Instagram: @sloaneapplebaum & @j _charrr_