Not Into Clothing Rentals? The New York Designers Joining Rent the Runway Might Change Your Mind
It wasn’t so long ago that renting clothes was a highly divisive subject. On one hand, websites like Rent the Runway gave you the chance to wear a new dress every weekend, or maybe even every day, with little financial commitment or closet real estate—what could be better? Then again, by renting a dress, you’re effectively sharing it with dozens of strangers, and isn’t that, well, kind of gross? We’ll admit we weren’t sold on the concept at first, but it’s an understatement to say things have changed—and quickly. Even in the fast-moving fashion industry, interest around Rent the Runway and similar sites is nothing short of jaw-dropping. For many women, it’s completely altered the way they shop, dress, and think about fashion. At this point, everyone knows someone who uses RTR.
Rent the Runway has grown into a $1 billion company for plenty of reasons—the variety, the ease, the technology, the affordability—but what stands out right now is the evolution of its assortment. What began as a destination for special occasion dresses has expanded to include denim, tailoring, knitwear, handbags, jewelry, and more, with a far greater range of labels. It’s drastically different from my experience with RTR’s Unlimited subscription in 2017 (at $159 per month, you have access to an unlimited number of items). Back then, my chief complaint was that there weren’t enough items I wanted to rent; aside from a few dresses and jackets by Proenza Schouler and Tory Burch, the high-end designer offering was limited. I wasn’t looking for a cocktail dress, nor was I interested in renting from contemporary labels. Fast-forward to today, though, and many of fashion’s buzziest names have been added to the roster: Khaite, Brock Collection, Monse, Coach 1941, Mansur Gavriel, Staud, and 3.1 Phillip Lim among them, with Pyer Moss and Rosie Assoulin arriving online soon.
Sarah Tam, the chief merchant of Rent the Runway, credits some of the site’s “early adopters” like Derek Lam, Jason Wu, and Prabal Gurung for motivating other designers to eventually join RTR. “But our consumer is also becoming more fashion-conscious,” she says. “As she’s getting more curious about designers, we’ve been able to add people like Rosetta Getty, Pyer Moss, Rosie Assoulin, Cecilie Bahnsen…. She’s [aware of] those brands, but also comes to us for discovery.” It’s fair to assume that Instagram and digital fashion media have played a part in the RTR customer’s fashion education. If she sees a label she likes on Instagram—whether it’s through her Discover page or an editor, influencer, or celebrity she follows—she’s likely to check if RTR carries it. Tam adds that her team’s approach always starts with data and customer demand: “I think the biggest difference between Rent the Runway and other retailers is that we have millions of data points and 10 years of customer feedback,” she says. “It’s really allowed us to understand what our customer is looking for, and once we know that, we can go to market and find the most relevant and exciting designers [to meet that demand]. For instance, last fall we saw blazers had a huge uptick, so we added brands with great tailoring, like Khaite and Veronica Beard.” Similarly, the demand for great jeans—possibly to wear with those blazers, or one of the 2,000 tops on RTR—created space for labels like R13, Re/Done, Rag & Bone, and Citizens of Humanity.
Denim is perhaps the best example of how varied the RTR offering has become; who knew that the same girl who rents cocktail and bridesmaid dresses would also want to rent her skinny jeans? Still, as we find ourselves entering holiday party season, it’s the in-between stuff that’s making us consider a subscription: Khaite’s dramatic emerald blouse; Rick Owens’s draped jersey column; Monse’s asymmetrical blouse and trousers; Adam Lippes’s festive cape; Derek Lam’s multi-printed skirt. They’re fashion-forward, unstuffy pieces you can dress up or down, which is ideal for the girl who doesn’t want to wear them just once, but a few times. Even better, Vogue readers can save $150 on a 90-day trial by signing up with the code RTRVOGUE. We’ve included our favorite items on the site below to get you started.
*All Rent the Runway prices are included in the Unlimited membership plan. Vogue readers can receive $150 off a 90-day trial of the RTR Unlimited plan with promo code RTRVOGUE.
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