By Simone Limbu
Purchasing habits in the fashion landscape appear to be increasing, despite being one of the most polluting industries. How many times have you bought an expensive outfit for a special event, only to have that clothing not see the light of day again for years?
Renting can be a part of addressing this issue, and is arguably the most cost-effective way of wearing that perfect dress for a special occasion. It is a sustainable approach to delaying or slowing the process of the fashion industry’s environmental impact, while empowering and educating consumers to style trendy pieces while also utilising pre-loved pieces.
MY WARDROBE HQ is the UK’s first fashion rental marketplace; a leading destination for renting and buying contemporary and luxury womenswear fashion.
Madihah Culasy, a marketing executive in my My Wardrobe HQ said: “Sustainability is the heart or where this business was born. It’s at the heart of everything we do, everything from the brands or London based manufacturing to all of our packaging, and we aspire to have every touchpoint be sustainable.
Clothes and accessories can be a part of one’s identity, and now renting means that one doesn’t have to commit to a specific piece and can experiment. It also implies that customers can rent and test the product before making a purchase decision.
Lily Travers, Head of Brands at My WardrobeHQ said: “It’s all about the community and the rental messaging that renting all of these amazing dresses to go to events doesn’t require purchasing an item. It is about utilising excess inventory that has been sitting around for various reasons, samples that have been collected throughout the previous season. It’s really just getting it back into circulation.”
For Michelle Lam, a fashion enthusiast, the idea of renting rather than buying clothes is quite overwhelming. She said: “I had mixed feelings about wearing clothes that had previously been worn by someone else, but it is a great way to avoid overstuffing my wardrobe. I would look into special event clothing and accessories so that I don’t spend a lot of money on a single piece that I will only wear once.”
Renting may be the future of the fashion industry, bringing about a shift in purchasing habits, disrupting the current trend of disposable fast fashion, and aiding in the reduction of environmental impact.
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