Rent the Runway has revolutionised how New Yorkers dress for their big events, but will the trend take off in Ireland

Instead of buying your next frock, why not rent it? It’ll free up wardrobe space, save time, money, and help reduce the amount of clothes that are produced every year.

It’s the fashionista’s answer to fast fashion.

From London to New York, celebrities swear by it. Gwyneth Paltrow is a board member of Rent the Runway (renttherunway.com), launched in 2009, and Carrie Symonds famously wed UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a rent-a-dress from MyWardrobeHQ (mywardrobehq.com).

It’s a model that makes sense – why buy a new gown, knowing that you’ll only get to wear it once? ¬ The amount you spend on a single piece of new clothing could be spread over a dozen or more if you hired them out.

According to a Rent the Runway survey, 89 per cent of those who rent from them say they purchase less new clothes. The company believes 20 per cent of the market will be rental by 2025 in the US and for those who already buy into the concept, it offers a monthly subscription service.

All of this feels way ahead of where Ireland is. But the market is slowly but surely growing here too.

Borrower Boutique launched in 2015, Designer Room in 2017 and Rag Revolution in 2019. All were small operations to start with – in most cases, straight out of the founders’ existing wardrobes. Style is what it was all about, and it still is. ¬ The rentals work because they consist of the crown jewels. ¬The high value, stylish in-demand pieces. It’s not so much about how much choice you have, but about the quality And things have picked up pace since then. “It quickly gained traction and I believe it was because our generation was ready to adopt a once-forgotten model that was favoured by our mothers and grandmothers,” says Tipperary native Edel Lyons of Rag Revolution (theragrevolution.com).

Lyons reckons an average of 40 per cent of garments are left unworn and hanging in wardrobes across Europe, resulting in €443 billion per year in global waste.

THE BUSINESS MODEL

There are two basic business models within the fashion rental space. Peer-to-peer á la airbnb.com whereby the website only intervenes if there’s an issue. ¬ There aren’t that many of these knocking about in Ireland although in the UK, Selfridges partnered up with rental company HURR. “Peer-to-peer in theory is a great concept,” says Lyons.

“But, the complexities of managing and policing the service process from consumer to consumer are still very much in their infancy for many companies who adopt this rental model. I definitely do see growth within this space over the coming months and years.” It’s the platform-based model that’s winning everywhere so far, whereby the lender stocks the coveted items available for hire.

In Ireland, most are online only but there are some with brick-and-mortar shops that allow you to browse and try on the items. ¬The others offer fitting services in your home.

Edel Lyons

IRISH RENTALS

Rag Revolution offers dresses priced between €49.99 to €90 depending if you choose a three-day or seven-day rental, with new items added every season.

Other rent-a-dress boutiques include happy-days.ie which sport dresses from Reiss from €70 for a three-day rental, covet.ie that offers both party and bridalwear (the latter from €450 including insurance) and high-endhire.com which even rents workwear (the office stuff , not overalls) from €60 for a three-day rental.

Meanwhile, designerroom.ie launched a shop where people can sell their pre-loved fashion-savvy items.

To help reduce your carbon footprint, it's best practice to order from a local rental shop. A bummer if you’re not in Dublin as most of these are currently based in and around the capital.

If you can get over the eco guilt, most will ship to anywhere in Ireland. In Limerick, check out theivorycloset.com.

ECO CREDENTIALS

Outside of Ireland, mainstream rental websites offer more commonplace items like jeans and other occasional wear, not just dresses.

Lyons explains why she and the rest of the Irish market decided not to stray too far from occasional wear. For one, the demand here is for fashionable high-end dresses. And environmentally, it doesn’t stack up. According to a much-publicised Finnish study from 2021, everyday items should be bought and worn to death if you are being eco-conscious about it. Otherwise you’re just creating unnecessary transport, packaging and cleaning.

“When we launched I ensured our packaging was eco-friendly,” says Lyons, who uses a wet cleaning temperature controlled, chemical-free alternative to dry cleaning. “Our mailers are made from natural starch and are fully biodegradable.

Our reusable bags help us and our customers reduce packaging waste. “We have also partnered with Hometree, an Irish Charity that works on conserving permanent native woodland in Ireland.”

At the end of the day, the most sustainable way to be fashionable is to buy a few key pieces that you will regularly wear and for those special occasions – from weddings to cocktail parties – rent your clothes from a nearby warehouse retailer that’s making an effort with packaging and eco-friendly cleaning practices.

How it works

1> PICK A DRESS

You can pick from the online catalogue or (much less common) go to a brick-and-mortar shop. Those

that don’t have a shop usually over a home fitting service.

2> THREE TO FIVE DAY RENTAL

Most rentals are over a period of three days but can be longer. The fee might be per day or per period depending on the company and some charge a booking fee which adds to the cost. The dress will usually be couriered.

3> NO NEED TO CLEAN

All clothes rental outfits will dry clean the item for you. You will either have to drop it off , or have it picked up. Most will collect through the courier.