The new It-Girl app: Inside Pinterest’s INVITE-ONLY platform that has taken Gen Z by storm

By James On Sep 15, 2022

The viral app Shuffles has fueled internet frenzy among Gen-Z desperately trying to get some code to access the invitation-only app for A-list creators to create collage-style mood boards.

Pinterest dropped its exclusive app in August and quickly took the internet by storm, as it empowers creators to do everything from fashion composing to designing room aesthetics.

For users who were around when Pinterest first launched in 2010, they know that the app started out as an invite-only app until it decided to end its exclusive policy in 2012.

So it’s no surprise that the social media app decided to pull a page from the 2010 playbook and design Shuffles for only the most elite creators.

The viral app Shuffles has sparked internet frenzy among Gen-Z users desperately trying to get a code to open the invite-only app

Pinterest dropped its app in August and quickly took the internet by storm as it empowers creators to do everything from curating fashion to creating mood boards.

It’s no surprise that the social media app decided to pull a page from the 2010 playbook and design Shuffles for only the most elite creators

Pinterest snuck into the app store in August Shuffles quickly reached the top of the app store with its collective collages, secret codes, and long waiting list of users eagerly awaiting their chance to enter the Shuffle world.

Those lucky enough to join the platform are not only welcomed with an endless possibility of collage material, but are also given anywhere between two and five invite codes to share with others.

So how exactly does the app work and why has it made its way to the top of the charts?

Well, Shuffles connects to your Pinterest account and allows you to create collages or mood boards with pins on your boards.

Creators also have the option to search for images, add photos from their camera roll, and use pre-made cutouts.

Once you’ve completed a collage, you can post it to your page and allow other elite creators to like, comment, share and ‘rearrange’, which is a way to remix collages already shared in the app and share again.

The app has been dubbed the ‘It-Girl’ app for its exclusivity and many are desperately trying to get a code, some even paying over $100

Shuffles connects to your Pinterest account and allows you to create collages or mood boards using pins on your boards

And like TikTok, there’s a For You page that’s filled with collages to suit any aesthetic the more you create and interact within the app.

Shuffles allows creators to view even the most popular or trending collages.

Users praise the app for its ability to recognize objects and cut them out automatically, rather than other apps, such as Picsart, where users have to download images and cut each element by hand.

The app also offers other in-app features, including adding text and photo search via Pinterest and a library of user-generated content that links back to your pins.

Features aside, Gen-Z seems to love the app for the nostalgia it brings, as many used the popular app Tumblr in 2014 to create and share collages.

But the real reason why many are desperately trying to get into the app is to feel like they’re one of the most elite creators around.

FEMAIL Takes A Look At Shuffles To Find Out If It’s Really Worth The Hype

I was one of the few who got lucky while scouring social media and found a code to get into the invite only app and it didn’t live up to my expectations
As soon as I opened the app, I saw a screen full of vibrant colors and patterns that gave me the chance to create and “get creative” by making a collage board.
But when I started making one of these “It girl” collages, it felt just like any other app.
Sure, it was nice that the app cuts out objects automatically, but the Photo & Shape Collage Maker app and many other apps do that for you too, such as Photo Cut Out Editor
And despite the many in-app features, I wouldn’t say the app is trend-worthy or even secret code worthy.

The reason the platform brought back its exclusive policy was to create more buzz around their app and less around other social media platforms.

In recent years, Pinterest has seen a growing number of people use the app to increase their followers on Instagram.

They would post an Instagram photo and redirect all Pinterest users to Instagram.

So, with the invite-only feature, the platform makes users feel special while encouraging them to use only the app and the app.

To get a coveted code and get into the epic mood board world, users need to get one from creators who are already on the app or use other social media platforms hoping to get lucky and find a code.

Some users on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok have shared their codes on the social media platform.

Others use “Shuffles Code Trains,” usually threads on Reddit or Twitter where users post codes for others to find and then they’ll post the codes as they get them as a way to prepay.

While finding a code through social media might be the most difficult option, as users are forced to constantly refresh the page in hopes of getting a code before someone else does, this seems like the easiest.

TikTok users branded as “It-girls” share their collages on the app, admitting that they have become “obsessed” with the platform, prompting many to beg the creators for one of their secret codes.

And the app has gained so much traction that users are even paying for codes.

Some A-list creators pawn their coveted codes, and while some make as little as $2 off the codes, others make as much as $120.

And if all else fails, users can join the dreaded waiting list that the app provides, while crossing their fingers, the Pinterest-designed app will once again rid itself of the exclusive policy.

Despite the popularity behind the app, it is currently only available to iOS members in the US, so it seems that all Android users will have to give up being the latest ‘It girl’.