How luxury rental services are changing our relationship with fashion

I first discovered clothing rental services thanks to the classic but controversial 2008 movie, Sex and the City: The Movie. Jennifer Hudson's Louise (from St. Louis) dropped the details on her designer bag with the oft-quoted line, "It's rented; Bag Borrow or Steal is like Netflix for handbags. Almost 15 years have passed since the film's release, and a lot has changed in the fashion industry, especially in the world of luxury rental companies.

In 2023, there are many reasons to consider renting your clothes. I could get poetic about the benefits of a circular economy, especially at a time when fast fashion continues to rule the retail space. However, if you, like me, consider yourself a fashion enthusiast, there's another huge factor: a virtually endless (and spinning) closet. And when that closet can include rare designer handbags from big fashion houses, on-trend pieces from trendy brands, timeless fine jewelry, and more, you can bet it's worth a look. Of course, it wasn't always this way, but more and more rental services are specializing in different areas of luxury fashion, and I'm willing to bet this is just the beginning. p>

Vivelle showroom.

"The luxury loan industry is booming," Founder Blake Geffen told ELLE.com in an email. Vivrelle currently has a waiting list of 8,000 users and accounts, and rather than using a one-size-fits-all business model for its rentals, the brand offers tiered membership, giving customers the ability to borrow items as well. long as they need it. , with the possibility of buying them too. "We know our consumers are always looking to expand their wardrobes, add fun, seasonal pieces, and that increasing the lifecycle of luxury accessories is important to them, which makes our business at Vivrelle critical to how they see and interact with their closets."

Clothing rental services have exploded as more and more people return to the world and leave their homes. It makes sense: with returns to the office, new social events whether casual or formal, and more reasons to leave the comfort of tracksuits and matching couches, many would be rediscovering how to dress again. But now that they've started defining their personal style again, with a keen interest in trying on high-end items, item rental time with designer brands has reached new heights.

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