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Dress Hire: The Best Fashion Rental Sites In The UK
Where is the best place to rent those wedding guest dresses in the UK?
It's no secret that our voracious buying habits are damaging the planet. The fashion industry is one of the greatest global polluters, according to OneGreenPlanet, and while structural changes are crucial in solving this problem (we're talking legislative changes here), little old you can do your part too.
In fact, individual consumer behaviour can have a huge impact. The Instagram account 1 million women reported that if everyone in the UK didn't buy new clothes 'for one day, the emissions saved would be equivalent to driving a car around the world 8,640 times'.
And there are worthwhile alternative options to buying new - namely, looking after what you have and shopping second-hand. However, sometimes the need for 'new' prevails, and when it does, why not try hiring clothes?
Already the norm in the US with websites like Rent The Runway, fashion rental platforms are increasingly making their way across the pond. And, its unsurprising since the sharing economy is growing rapidly and is projected to be valued at £269 billion by 2025, according to Forbes.
Be it a wedding guest dress, a Christmas party ensemble, a holiday-perfect wardrobe or a fashion-week ready handbag, some items or events feel like they are not worth investing in, and thats where dress hire comes in.
Though fashion rental isn't without its downsides, we already rent our homes, cars and even our dogs, and our clothes are next.
Here are the best places to rent a dress from now:
Net-A-Porter
Luxury retail behemoth Net-A-Porter has joined the rental revolution. Partnering with both By Rotation (on their app) and HURR (on their website and app), the e-retailer has curated two party-ready edits, including the likes of Simone Rocha, 16Arlington and Taller Marmo to be rented for one night only.
However, there is one catch, with the edit only being available until January 2024, so you better get your skates on ASAP.
'Our first step into fashion rental brings an exciting opportunity to introduce Net-a-Porter’s exceptional curation of partywear to new and broader audiences,' Vikki Kavanagh, managing director of Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter explains.
'The launch of our rental edit is key to enriching the global ambitions of our circular fashion offer, inspired by our customers’ voices and their growing interest to keep exploring how we can extend the life of luxury products together.'
HURR
The first rental platform to achieve certified B Corp™ status in 2022, HURR is comprised of peer-to-peer, preowned and brand rentals.
Now working with the likes of Nensi Dojaka and Coperni as official partners, alongside having a physical space in Selfridges and continuing to facilitate people sharing their own wardrobes, HURR's rental offering is one of, if not the, most expansive available in the UK.
'HURR is based on creating accessibility and a route to luxury fashion for a mainstream market,' CEO and co-founder of HURR Victoria Prew told ELLE UK.
We recommend you book in your New Year's Eve outfit right this second.
Flannels
Powered by the aforementioned HURR, designer retailer Flannels have joined the rental game. Stylist Leah Abbott has joined the company's Creative Council and curated the green project, called The Dress-Up (which launched April 18) hoping to 'sex up' rental, and we think she's done the job.
Featuring epic pieces from Area, Mugler, Dion Lee and more, you can rent for a period of 4, 8, 10 and 20 days from the trusted brand.
By Rotation
The first UK fashion rental service to have an app, and the only purely peer-to-peer platform, By Rotation is facilitating the sharing of people's personal wardrobes.
The platform also has a resale functionality. So if you've loved a borrowed item so much that you're dying to have it rest in your wardrobe forever, there might be an option to purchase it.
Founder Eshita Kabra-Davies says, 'After receiving significant feedback from our Rotators to offer the option to sell an item (and selling two items myself directly on the app!), we are rewarding all our verified lenders with the ability to sell their pieces that are also available to rent. This is in line with our mission to transform fashion consumption for good.'
With everything from The Vampire's Wife dresses (very Kate Middleton) from £50 a day to a Totême coat for £36, the rental options were already a great lure, so the new resale option is sure to bring even more popularity to the brand.
'Our aim is to make fashion circular and accessible to all,' Kabra-Davies told ELLE shortly after the app's launch.
Rites
New Zealand native, Meg O’Hara, founded Rites initially as a means of ‘celebrating rituals, seasonality and the idea that what is good for the planet is good for us.’ A few iterations later, and Rites has evolved to become a peer-to-peer rental site with one clear aim: to prove that feeling good doesn’t have to cost the earth.
‘We believe that the most sustainable garment is one that already exists,’ O’Hara tells ELLE. ‘We are here to help women feel their best every day, in a community where they can more freely express themselves and dress for the incredible lives they lead.’
With Rites, which hosted its first IRL pop-up on London's Broadway Market earlier this year, you can rent the cult labels you love, including Ganni, Self-Portrait and Aje, straight from somebody else's wardrobe and once you're done, return it with minimal fuss.
Cocoon
An editor favourite, Cocoon has emerged as the premium bag rental (and resale) service. With Instagram-perfect handbags on offer from the likes of Bottega Veneta and Gucci from just £79 a month, it's no wonder the service (that has partnered with repair service The Restory to keep everything in top-notch condition) has been such a hit.
'We’re a subscription model, we’re bag experts, we’re on the pulse and we’re highly specialised in our approach. We also own all of our product, which means we can guarantee the selection and quality,' Cocoon co-founder and CEO Ceanne Fernandes-Wong informs ELLE UK.
'With our monthly membership model, Cocoon becomes a part of your daily life. You’re not loaning a handbag for a one-off occasion, you’re developing a long-term relationship with us and enjoying luxury more responsibly.'
Selfridges
As part of Selfridges' sustainability initiative, Project Earth, the historic department store has put a curated selection of designer pieces up to rent.
Offering selections from the likes of Jacquemus, 16Arlington and Magde Butrym, Selfridges' rental means you can get the season's hottest pieces at a fraction of the cost.
CLOAN
CLOAN is one of our favourite rental platforms. Not only does it offer £20 off your first order, but it also offers shoppers the chance to share the sustainable love and buy gift cards for friends to use, as well as inspiration of how other renters have styled their looks.
So how does it work? Well, rental options are broken down into 'occasions', whether you're looking for a look for a party, weekend away or girls night out, 'category', depending on the item you're on the search for and 'designers', listing the likes of Rixo and Shrimps, as well as Ganni and Chost's archive collection.
Better yet, CLOAN is now available at Fenwick and works with a whole list of creatives like Lindsey Holland and Jessica Skye, who provide their CLOAN edit to enable you to rent with their style choices in mind. Think of creatives like having a reliable, stylish fashion guru at your fingertips.
Hirestreet
Housing brands such as Marks and Spencer, Rixo and Ghost, in sizes UK 4-20, Hirestreet is a stellar choice for your wedding guest dress options.
Complete with a try on service, and searchable by occasion, this is one of the most accessible options out there.
MY WARDROBE HQ
Hosting both rental and resale (with a subscription service also available), MY WARDROBE HQ has over 500+ designers to choose from, making it likely the broadest selection available in UK rental sites. MWHQ also has next day delivery available, meaning you can choose a Gucci dress on Thursday, and have it ready to wear for the weekend ahead.
For The Creators
If the idea of buying new clothes for the length of a mere trimester fills you with eco-dread, For The Creators is here for your maternity and postnatal clothing needs.
Carrying brands such as Bump & Milk, Sezane and Whistles, For The Creators ensures you can feel like yourself no matter the shape your bump takes on. Plus, they plant a tree in partnership with Ecologi for every rental order received.
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