Is that an Oscar de la renter, Scarlett? Experts reveal buying gowns is so last season
We’re hiring: From Hollywood to the high street, savvy fashion lovers embrace new way of dressing to impress
In the ’ 90s we wandered down to Blockbuster to borrow the latest films. When we go abroad, a hire car is a must. When it comes to weddings, men have always turned to rental companies for a kilt.
So, why are women only now waking up to the wonders of renting clothes?
According to waste reduction char ity, WRAP, there is an estimated £ 30 billion worth of unused clothing sitting in UK wardrobes, with £ 140 million of unwanted garments going to landfill each year, proving our obsession with cheap “fast fashion” isn’t going out of style.
But, in recent years, fashion rental businesses have started to attract savvy shoppers, who borrow high- end gowns, dresses and outfits rather than splashing out on a new ensemble for every occasion – and experts say the trend could help reduce fashion’s throw-away culture.
“Clothing has become so inexpensive over the years, and the resulting joyless nature of apparel shopping can be linked directly to the proliferation of fast fashion,” explained Anna Bance, who launched luxury dress rental website Girl Meets Dress 10 years ago.
“The rental economy runs the majority of our lives – transportation, entertainment, music and now clothing. We are so used to having an option to rent or an option to subscribe.
“So, why do we need to buy clothes that have to be stored, cleaned and cared for when we can rent them instead? And on top of this, the Instagram generation crave newness – millennials don’t want to be photographed in the same outfit twice.”
Since launching the brand in 2009, Anna says orders from Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow have been particularly strong, with the company’s Scottish customer base doubling in size last year. The number of competitors has grown, too. Retail guru Jane Shepherdson, credited with building Topshop into a global brand, recently became chair man of highend fashion rental start- up My Wardrobe HQ.
What’s more it’s not just high fashion brands – affordable high street chain H&M recently began trialling renting clothes at its store in Stockholm.
With dresses available from just £19 for two nights, Anna says rental companies could provide better value for money, as well as a move away from disposable tops, dresses, jeans and shoes. She said: “Ultimately, we compete against fast fashion. For women who work and live near a Zara, it is too easy to put off buying something for a nice event until the very last minute, as they know they will find something that’s suitable and inexpensive.
“I don’t believe clothing rental means the ‘end of ownership’ as the future of retail.
“But it is about having greater options. We want women to rethink how they build a wardrobe around smarter choices.
“Half of women’s wardrobes are going to move ‘into the cloud’ and a portion of what we wear every day will compromise of things that we don’t own forever.”