Postgraduate Degree Sustainable Fashion – Design Major

The first year of the Postgraduate programs at IFA Paris provides a shared academic and practical foundation for all students, regardless of their future specialization. Rooted in the belief that creativity and commerce are inseparable in the contemporary fashion industry, this year is designed to equip students with the core competencies required to operate effectively across design, production, business development, and brand strategy.

This common curriculum serves as a launchpad for second-year specialization by building a comprehensive understanding of the fashion system through a multidisciplinary approach. Students are immersed in both creative and strategic processes—fostering their ability to move fluidly between artistic direction and business planning. Through collaborative projects, real-life industry engagements, and targeted workshops, they gain the ability to contextualize their practice within broader social, cultural, and technological frameworks.

The 1st year courses are common to all specializations. Their aim is to establish common fundamentals to reconcile commercial and creative challenges.

French program : Cooperative education
Or English program : 6-months internship

Learning Objectives

By the end of the first year, students will be able to:

1. Integrate Creative and Strategic Thinking
   • Combine artistic expression with commercial insight to develop compelling fashion concepts.
   • Understand the interconnectedness of design, branding, marketing, and production within the fashion value chain.
2. Master Fashion Development Processes
   • Navigate each stage of the creative process, from concept generation to visual storytelling.
   • Apply contemporary and historical references to inform design aesthetics and styling choices.
3. Develop Entrepreneurial and Operational Skills
   • Identify market opportunities and design strategic business plans to launch or grow fashion ventures.
   • Understand supply chain dynamics, distribution models, and the fundamentals of production.
4. Engage with Sustainable and Technological Innovations
   • Explore sustainable practices and cutting-edge technologies in design and production.
   • Evaluate the environmental and ethical impact of materials, sourcing, and business models.
5. Communicate Effectively Across Contexts
   • Collaborate in interdisciplinary and intercultural teams.
   • Present ideas clearly and confidently, both visually and verbally, in professional contexts.
6. Shape a Professional Identity
   • Define a clear trajectory for second-year specialization through reflective practice and mentorship.
   • Build a coherent personal brand and professional portfolio aligned with industry expectations.

Course Modules

Creative Processes

This module grouping is designed to enhance students’ creative capabilities. It focuses on nurturing innovative thinking and artistic expression through various stages of the fashion design process. By studying contemporary and historical influences, participating in workshops, and collaborating on design projects, students will develop a unique creative approach and gain the skills to bring their fashion concepts to life.

• Contemporary Creativity Analysis
• « Creative process » workshop
• « Digital Design » Workshop
• Iconography and Style in Fashion
• Creative Direction Enhanced by AI

Business Development Processes

This module focuses on the innovative processes involved in developing and launching successful fashion ventures. Students will learn how to identify market opportunities, create compelling business plans, and implement effective strategies for growth. Emphasis is placed on fostering creative thinking and problem-solving abilities to drive innovation in product development, branding, and marketing.

• Business Planning
• Smart Supply Chain System
• Intellectual property
• Branding
• Distribution

Production

The Production Processes in Fashion module grouping focuses on providing a comprehensive understanding of the manufacturing processes in the fashion industry. This module covers the entire production cycle, from concept development and material selection to garment construction and quality control. Students will explore innovative production techniques, sustainable practices, and the latest technological advancements in fashion manufacturing in order to develop their own collection.

• Pattern & Draping Development
• Innovative materials
• Collection Development

2 Electives to Choose From

Students will get to pick 2 electives out of 6 available. Each of them gives a taste of what the 5th year specializations will encompass. Such a structure provides an opportunity for full customization of the learning experience.

• Luxury
• Magazine project / Media Management
• Fashion and eco-responsibility
• Entrepreneurship
• Tech
• Fashion Marketing & Management

Fashion Lab

The Fashion Lab module grouping is handled by the Direction of Corporate Relations of IFA Paris. Through a variety of practical workshops, students will get the opportunity to be involved in real-life case studies provided by partner brands. They will also have the opportunity to work on their professional profile through customized coaching sessions to ensure they can secure a 6-month internship.

Students who choose this specialisation will be encouraged to reflect on the concept of impact management through the creation and production of a sustainable fashion collection. They are required to make choices and experiment in terms of design strategy, production techniques, the sourcing of materials, marketing strategy and circularity in the interests of transparency and traceability.

French program : Cooperative education
Or English program : 6-months internship

Learning Objectives

1. Forge Forward-Thinking Sustainable Design Practices:
   • Students will push the boundaries of sustainable fashion by creating visionary designs that incorporate cutting-edge eco-friendly materials, zero-waste techniques, and circular design principles, leading the charge toward a radically sustainable fashion industry.
2. Advance Impact Measurement and Management for Future Sustainability:
   • Students will become leaders in quantifying and managing the environmental and social impacts of fashion design, utilizing advanced tools and emerging technologies to set new standards for transparency and accountability in sustainable fashion.
3. Drive the Evolution of Ethical and Sustainable Fashion Brands:
   • Students will spearhead the development of progressive fashion brands that prioritize ethical practices and sustainability, leading industry-wide transformation through transparent supply chains, groundbreaking fair labor initiatives, and responsible sourcing strategies.
4. Design for the Next-Generation Circular Fashion Economy:
   • Students will reshape fashion design with a focus on circular economy principles, developing products that are not only recyclable and durable but also part of innovative business models that redefine garment life cycles and drastically reduce industry waste.

Course Modules

Common Base

This module grouping addresses fashion students as future entrepreneurs, providing them with comprehensive knowledge and practical tools about Sustainability, the transformation process it initiates in the field of fashion and textile apparel, and the way it can be integrated to one’s own enterprise.

• Sustainable Value Creation/ Eco-lines and Creative Design Strategies
• RSE/CSR/ DPEF/ ESG Criteria
• Eco-Design and LCA (Life-Cycle Analysis) / Impact Management / Kering EP&L / Carbon Audit
• Carbon footprint

Sustainable Sourcing Commitment

Designed as an essential, innovative, practical tool, guiding students to review, analyze and experiment sustainable fashion strategies and techniques directly at the fashion supply chain level, grounded in a real situation context.

• Organic Materials and Certifications
• Innovative materials
• Eco-Friendly Fabrics

Smart Supply Chain System

Before moving to technical aspects and matters of the sustainable fashion supply chain, students are invited to measure the positive impact of smart supply chain management and sustainable value creation in the emergence of new sustainable fashion business models. This sequence within the course practical part should arouse students’ creativity, business skills and dynamic approach of design development…while they are looking into, exploring, examining varied options of sustainable value proposition within the chosen strategy of “designing fashion for longevity”.

• Eco-innovation
• Innovative Business Models
• Infrastructural Foundations for Sustainable Production & Development

Textile Processing

In that segment, students move to technical aspects and matters of the sustainable fashion supply chain. Focusing on textile processing, at the bottom of the apparel production unit, they clearly review raw material processing, that is yarn production, fabric production, and identify which aspects within yarn spinning or fabric weaving or knitting can have ecological and social implications.

• Yarn processing
• Weaved Fabrics
• Vegan Leather, Non-Wovens and Alternatives

Finishes Processes

This module grouping proposes to focus on embellishment and finishing processes, a traditional step within the making of garment in the supply chain, and provides students with a state of play of the new developments concerning these processes in relation to sustainability.

• Dyeing Techniques and Technologies
• Traditional, Current and Innovative Printing Techniques
• Aesthetic and stylistic potential

Design process

Students will create Mood Boards expressing their innovative vision of an Eco-Line and translate concepts into 3D shapes and sketches. They will integrate waste and impact management in the development of their eco-line visual identity elements.

• Creation of Mood Boards
• Story Board for Photoshoot

Pattern Making – Draping – Production

This module grouping focuses on equipping students with the technical skills necessary to transform design concepts into tangible products for eco-friendly fashion lines. This module emphasizes the integration of sustainable materials, ethical production processes, and efficient resource management throughout the garment production cycle. Students gain proficiency in translating designs into patterns that minimize waste and maximize efficiency, ensuring that their eco-line creations are not only aesthetically appealing but also environmentally responsible.

Marketing & communication

The objective of this module grouping is to allow participants to understand how to position sustainable brands competitively in their respective markets through developing a differentiated DNA.

• Market research
• Marketing Mix of an Eco-Line

Closing the Loop

Participants will look into the last part of a product’s lifecycle and will explore how to extend it or integrate it within a sustainable framework. They key question addressed in this module grouping is how to reintegrate or disintegrate creatively.

• Full Sustainability Prism
• Strength & Coherency (concept, purpose, values…)
• Products Sustainability Presentation
• Demonstration of the Offer’s Eco-Responsibility

Capstone

Participants will look into the last part of a product’s lifecycle and will explore how to extend it or integrate it within a sustainable framework. They key question addressed in this module grouping is how to reintegrate or disintegrate creatively.

Fashion Lab

The Fashion Lab module grouping is handled by the Direction of Corporate Relations of IFA Paris. Through a variety of practical workshops, students will get the opportunity to be involved in real-life case studies provided by partner brands. They will also have the opportunity to work on their professional profile through customized coaching sessions to ensure they can secure a 6-month internship.

Prerequisites Year 1:

• Applicants must have successfully completed 3 years of higher education (equivalent to 180 ECTS credits)
• -Depending on the chosen teaching language (English or French), non-native speakers should provide a language proficiency score:
• English teaching language: an IELTS score of 6.5 or above, or a TOEFL score of 79 or above. Alternatively, provide an English training certificate or proof of previous education in English.
• French teaching language: a TCF score of B2 or equivalent. Alternatively, a proof of previous education in French.
• Significant professional experience in related fields preferred, but not required (internships are considered).

Prerequisites Year 2:

• Applicants must have successfully completed 4 years of higher education (equivalent to 240 ECTS credits)
• -Depending on the chosen teaching language (English or French), non-native speakers should provide a language proficiency score:
• English teaching language: an IELTS score of 6.5 or above, or a TOEFL score of 79 or above. Alternatively, provide an English training certificate or proof of previous education in English.
• French teaching language: a TCF score of B2 or equivalent. Alternatively, a proof of previous education in French.
• Significant professional experience in related fields preferred, but not required (internships are considered).
 

Required documentation:

• Resume
• Motivation letter
• Passport photo
• Passport copy for non-EU applicants and ID copy for EU applicants
• Language proficiency certificate
• High school diploma or higher & Transcript
• Portfolio

For more information about the application process, please visit our How to apply page.