Engage in circular fashion and help reduce your carbon footprint by renting your wardrobe.
Engage in circular fashion and help reduce your carbon footprint by renting your wardrobe. A growing market, subscription-based rentals offer that sweet spot: a constant new selection without actually committing to a purchase. We tried four popular online platforms that promise a fuss-free process and chic, clean clothes, to suss out what suits you best.
fun, fresh, feminine
Having opened its first flagship boutique at 313@Somerset (#02-40/41) in October 2019, Style Theory says it is South-east Asia’s largest online subscription-based designer fashion rental service. Taking the business offline was a way to help first-timers ease into the idea of rental, as one can see, touch, try and immediately rent clothes and designer bags. New subscribers can also enjoy a complimentary 60-minute personal styling session (worth $250), where professionally trained image consultants provide recommendations based on body type and preference.
OUR PICKS:
Shift dress, Foxiedox
Denim jacket, Kowtow
Triangle bag, Balenciaga
The mobile application is easy to navigate and visually appealing – filters allow you to search for a brand, colour, or style quickly. There is a wide selection of high street brands that are not easily available in Singapore, such as ethical and sustainable label Kowtow. The clothes felt fresh and clean upon arrival.
Workwear, contemporary, weekend
Do you find yourself wearing only 5 per cent of your bursting wardrobe? That sentiment was what led economics graduate Nicole Hu to establish Madthread, a rental service that promises next-day delivery and swop (return your current pieces and receive your new ones at once). It also prides itself on stocking cult brands that are sourced from around the world such as American label Cult Gaia (known for its Instagram-famous Ark bag), and contemporary British womenswear label Self-Portrait.
WHERE https://madthread.com/
Sloane oversized earrings, Cult Gaia
Esperanza eyelet mini dress, Free People
Cross- front balloon-sleeved dress, Nicholas
Bowtie sweater, Anteprima
Dreamer pants, Sheike
PROS The website provides details on fit, fabric stretchability, fabric thickness, lining, and sheerness so you have a good idea of what the piece looks and feels like. There is a healthy selection of Australian brands, and the assortment of clothes is similar to what you’d find on Revolve.com, only more workwear-centric.
Luxury, designer, occasion
Imagine being able to don different tailored suits or pretty frocks from designer brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Dior, Hermes, and Stella McCartney every month. And besides offering subscription-based rentals for a slew of luxury labels, The Treasure Collective also offers ad-hoc rentals for occasion wear, winter wear and even ethnic wear such as cheongsams.
WHERE https://thetreasurecollective.com/
Ruffled open-back dress, Lanvin
Cold-shoulder embellished tulle dress, Giambattista Valli
PROS All the clothes are shot on a model, with detailed descriptions of how they fit (they even tell you the original size and if the dress has been altered), which really helps in picking out the items that might fit you. There’s also a sale section on the website that allows you to purchase new or pre-loved items at discounted prices. Items arrived in good, clean condition and don’t look too worn.
Trendy, aspirational, sophisticated
It’s one of the top fashion sharing platforms in Korea, and it’s aiming to achieve the same in Singapore. Unlike most other platforms that only facilitate rentals, Closet Share allows users to share items from their closet for others to rent. It has partnered with local fashion icons Nicole Wong and Nellie Lim who are now offering pieces from their closet for their followers to achieve their style.
WHERE www.closetshare.sg/ theclozet/main/index
Button-down dress, Sculptor
Classic Tote small bag, Chanel
Side cut-out jumpsuit, El Estilo de Claire
Halter neck sleeveless top, Armani Exchange
Doulton skirt, Revolte
PROS The website tells you how “used” the clothes are and includes a “buy now” option for some items. It’s affordable, with prices starting from just $48 for four items a month. There were interesting pieces and indie brands like El Estilo De Claire and Sculptor. The clothes arrived in moderate to good quality (no frayed ends or holes).
