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5 Essential Back-to-School Tools for Fashion School Students

Tagwalk: The Fashion Search Engine

Often described as the “Google of fashion,” Tagwalk is an essential tool for industry professionals. This search engine allows users to browse runway shows, analyze trends in real time, and filter looks using precise criteria: color, silhouette, fabric, designer, style…

It’s an invaluable resource for anyone who wants to work in fashion, build a moodboard, or simply get inspired by the latest Fashion Weeks.

Want to learn more? Tagwalk founder Alexandra Van Houtte shared her experience during an exclusive masterclass with IFA Paris students.
 

Paco: A Cultural Social Network with a Creative Edge

Designed as a next-generation cultural guide, Paco is a collaborative platform dedicated to art, fashion, and culture in all its forms. The app helps users discover exhibitions, events, and emerging artists. Each user can curate and share favorites, create a custom cultural map, or follow profiles with similar tastes.

Paco is a great tool to spark curiosity, explore new ideas, and connect with a vibrant creative community. It’s especially relevant for students in fashion schools, where cultural awareness enriches every creative direction.
 

A Vogue Subscription (or Another Leading Fashion Media)

Subscribing to a specialized media outlet allows you to stay connected to the industry’s key issues, emerging trends, and the voices shaping contemporary fashion. Among the must-reads, Vogue holds a special place.

As a global reference in fashion journalism, Vogue blends haute couture, photography, storytelling, and culture. Published in over 25 countries, it decodes each season’s top shows, spotlights emerging talents, and amplifies major creative figures.

To support regular trend research, IFA Paris offers its students and alumni discounted subscriptions to Vogue and GQ.
 

Pinterest: Build Your Visual Universe

Pinterest is an excellent platform to archive inspirations, organize ideas, and develop a creative universe over time. Its intuitive interface lets you collect and group images by theme: silhouettes, fabrics, colors, volumes, runway inspirations, or artistic references.

It’s also a great tool for creating moodboards tailored to each project: a fashion collection, a style exploration, or a concept pitch. Pinterest helps clarify your artistic direction and express a visual intent. It’s also perfect for exploring new aesthetics and growing your visual culture over time.

From the first weeks at IFA Paris, Pinterest is used to help students define their visual identity, structure projects, and elevate their presentations.
 

Behance or Canva: Start Your Online Portfolio

Building a portfolio is an evolving process that begins with your very first projects. It helps you reflect on your progress and refine your creative direction over time.

Whether you choose Behance, Canva, or another platform, an online portfolio is the ideal space to showcase sketches, moodboards, experiments, and completed projects. It’s also a great medium for receiving feedback from instructors, applying to workshops, or gradually defining your creative signature.

IFA Paris regularly offers workshops dedicated to portfolio development, aligned with industry expectations. Even at the beginning of your training, compiling your tests, inspirations, or early work helps you lay the foundation for a strong visual identity.


Ready to Make Your First Steps in Fashion? Choosing IFA Paris means joining a renowned fashion school, specialized in fashion education both in France and internationally.

Explore our degree programs in Fashion Designing & Creativity and Fashion Business & Marketing.