Hey, Top Lender
Welcome to the second home of circular fashion (after HURR, of course).
Fashion is broken. It’s one of the world’s most polluting industries, luxury fashion is in crisis, Matches Fashion has collapsed and much-loved brands like The Vampire’s Wife and Roksanda have shuttered or narrowly avoided entering administration. From this chaotic setting, circular fashion has emerged as one solution to “fix fashion”, albeit imperfect. Top Lender is here to explore the fashion rental revolution, uncover tips on earning cash by sharing your wardrobe, and highlight market trends.
You’ll get insights on what it takes to be a top lender and we’ll discover whether it’s possible to become one if you’re starting now. And we’ll have some fun exploring the personal style of both lenders and renters.
We’re here to build a community of curious, fashion-conscious readers who want to know more about peer-to-peer lending and managed rentals. We want to know your thoughts on the pros and cons, hear about your experiences and tips, what you want to see more of from rental platforms, and how renting the perfect piece makes you feel.
Here’s a taste of what to expect.
Rental Radar—your roundup of the latest industry news
John Lewis fashion rental expands into menswear, powered by HURR
By Rotation lender, Sakthi, tells The Times* how she’s made £14.3k renting her clothes since July 2022. *Behind the paywall
Dopamine dresser Olivia Rubin announces her own rental scheme, Rent a Rainbow, offering best sellers for 7 days
HURR launches a long-term rental credit-based pass, HURR Flex, with a get-together of gorgeous gals at Tozi Battersea. (Images by @kirstymclachlan for HURR)
How I Rent—insider insights from some of the best borrowers
Why Renting Dresses Doesn’t Always Work Out*, by one of our fashion faves, Alexandra Stedman of The R.U.E (formerly The Frugality). Featuring a not-quite-right Ganni dress from By Rotation. *This is a post for paying subscribers
Trending Now—the brands and pieces that are popping
Spotted: The RIXO Gio Dress Micro Tulip Mixed dress as worn by the all-round rental queen
in NYC for the Your Not Forever Home book launch
No surprise that it’s one of the most rented pieces on ByRotation.
So, have you HURRed? How was your experience renting an outfit from a peer or managed service? Let us know in the comments.
That’s it for this edition. Don’t forget to hit subscribe for more Top Lender mindful consumption.