Famous British department store Harrods is set to launch a fashion rental service, offering borrowed luxury designer items at a fraction of the cost.
The service will offer garments from both couture brands and everyday labels, in a bid to offer its customers what they need in a “more sustainable and conscious way”.
The initiative is being launched in partnership with My Wardrobe HQ (MWHQ), the company that Carrie Johnson, wife of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson hired her wedding dress from, as well as several outfits for June's G7 Summit in Cornwall.
The first edit curated by Harrods for MWHQ includes garments from the likes of The Attico, Zimmermann, Victoria Beckham and Jenny Packham, as well as more casual brands including Ganni, Self Portrait and Rixo.
Prices start from £8 ($11) a day, with garments available to rent for four, seven, 10 or 14-day periods.
“By bringing together our second-to-none product curation and My Wardrobe HQ’s expert rental structure, we are now able to offer our clients a rotating wardrobe of beautiful pieces,” said Harrods’s fashion director Lydia King.
“I am so proud to present the edit that we have curated, a collection of dresses that can be effortlessly styled for any occasion.”
Chair of MWHQ, Jane Shepherdson, described the partnership as “a dream”.
“We look forward to seeing customers enjoying the most exquisite designer pieces in the most sustainable way,” she said.
The global fashion rental industry was valued at $1.26 billion in 2019, according to a Research and Markets’ Global Online Clothing Rental Market report, and is projected to reach $2.08bn by 2025.
Numerous fashion start-ups have entered this space, both globally and regionally.