Overall, I found the whole process to be much smoother than I anticipated, and picking, ordering and returning my pieces (I dropped them off at the nearest DPD checkpoint using the prepaid shopping label) required very little effort.
I like the fact that rental allowed me to embrace the excitement of newness without experiencing the dreaded spender’s guilt. The idea of using the platform to experiment with my style, try new brands and generally celebrate the creativity that I’ve always loved about fashion is undeniably appealing. I can also see it being useful for specific occasions or life phases. Think a big summer holiday or even pregnancy. That being said, I don’t think rental could replace those big investments, such as classic winter coats or heirloom-worthy jewellery, that are designed to be bought and treasured for many years.
While there is clearly huge potential in this new approach to consumption, I think there is still a way to go before it is a service that is truly available to everyone, regardless of budget, taste or clothing size. As a whole, rental platforms need to ensure that a wide range of sizes is catered for and that an eclectic mix of brands is available to choose from.
I also acknowledge that for many people, £99 a month would not be viable, and currently, these platforms are directed at a consumer base with a high disposable income. I would love to see high-street brands used in the same way: Perhaps you could ask for £40 a month to rent four items from brands such as COS or Arket? I could totally see Gen Zers going for it.
But as with any new business concept, it always takes a while for things to settle, for bugs to be fixed and for the word to spread, and I’m optimistic that it’s only a matter of time before rental makes its mark on the mass fashion market. But until then, I’ll be cheering it on from the sidelines. Vive la rental revolution.
