Rental Fashion
Will new rental models shift fashion beyond ownership?
Rental business models have hit the fashion industry in a huge way. Say goodbye to tuxedos, prom dresses and kilts - rental fashion in 2020 is all about on-trend, high end, uber-contemporary style. We’ve seen an explosion in new clothing rental apps, peer-to-peer sharing sites, clothes swaps and subscription services hit the market in the last few years, signalling a new wave of fashion’s sharing economy.
Could this be the end of ownership? The Business of Fashion certainly thinks so, with their State of Fashion report claiming back in 2019 that we’d see “fashion business models capitalizing on preowned, refurbished, or rented product”. For 2020, they concur that “new business models focused on digital rental and resale offer promising opportunities to extend the life of old clothes”.
I’ve never rented clothing, mostly due to my lack of formal occasions that would demand a fancy outfit (where are my Spring wedding invites please?), and partly due to the often inaccessible cost and lack of diversity in sizes, styles, brands and shipping locations. Plus, 9 times out of 10, I hit up charity shops any time I need new clothing. But as I regularly browse these sites’ impressively growing inventories, I know that I will rent the next time I see a gap in my wardrobe, because there are countless benefits to both the individual and the environment. To name but a few: you can refresh your wardrobe more regularly without any outfit repeating on the ‘gram, you can nail the perfect outfit for special occasions (for me, this might be next season’s London Fashion week strategy!), you can save a lot of cash on designer labels, and most importantly, you can reduce waste by keeping clothes in the loop, not unworn at the back of your wardrobe.
Fancy hiring rather than buying? Here are the clothing rental sites and apps you should have on your radar:
*I’ve just started working with It’s Rented on some copywriting and I’m so excited for it to launch! My main qualm with rental fashion services is that by and large, they are US or London centric, with very little provision for us Scottish folks. So I’m thrilled to see a company launch locally - huge props to founder Laura Russell, aka Satisfashion.
Image: Hurr Collective’s pop-up at Selfridges. More info here.
NEWSFLASH!
All the ethical fashion articles you need to read from the last two weeks.
Vogue Business | What The Food Industry Can Teach Fashion About Sustainability
Fashion Revolution | Our Clothes Shed Microfibres – Here’s What We Can So
Compare Ethics | What We Learned at London Fashion Week 2020: Can Fashion and Planet Ever Co-Exist?
Fashionista | Can Fashion Shows Ever Be Environmentally Justifiable?
Vogue Business | The UN Set 17 Sustainability goals. It Needs Fashion’s Help Meeting Them
The Guardian | Should we Ration Fashion? Lessons in Sustainability from the Second World War
The Guardian | Victoria's Secret Under Fire After Store Dumps Hundreds of Bras in Bin
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Big thanks to gorgeous Scottish brand Maik Lifestyle for featuring me in their roundup of the best sustainable Instagram accounts! Make sure to have a scroll through to discover some ethical influencer inspiration.
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