Fashion Rental Is the Future, So We Tried It Out
It's no secret that resale shopping is on the rise. IG archive accounts have made the wearing and hunting of 90s Prada, vintage Stüssy tees, and retro ACG sneakers cool. It's pretty much a sport right now. Of course, resale has also been given a push by the awareness of and need for more sustainable shopping habits, but some services trying to make an impact on fashion's waste problem haven't had quite the uptake just yet. One of these is clothing rental.
Though having a continuous rotation of new additions to your wardrobe and getting rid of the stuff you're tired of without feeling guilty about your carbon and waste footprint makes sense, some are still uneasy about wearing pieces that aren't strictly theirs.
As such, we enlisted Noah Thomas, Highsnobiety's digital editor, our face of fashion weeks, and one half of @muleboyz, to shed some light on what borrowing clothes actually looks like. A self-confessed clothing rental skeptic, Noah tested the services of The Rotation, a rental service with an impressive list of brands on its roster.
Starting at $89 per month for two items or $159 for four, The Rotation stocks Stüssy, Stone Island, Fear of God ESSENTIALS, Acne Studios, Martine Rose, and many many more. Once you're signed up as a member, you'll have access to hundreds of pieces from the world's best brands to choose from. The Rotation takes care of dry cleaning and if you love an item that much, you can even request to keep it. To give you an idea of some of the pieces available to rent, we've picked out some favorites in the gallery below.
But what did Noah, a man proud of his highly-curated wardrobe, have to say about it? Here's what. "I went in with some reservations because I am somebody that really appreciates building a personal archive of some of your favorite pieces. To rent an item was something I wasn’t interested in, but after testing this, it’s an idea and concept that has me excited."
"Anything that helps make the world a more stylish place has my full support. This idea is also extremely healthy for the environment. To have a curated place with some of the hottest brands out right now for people who love the idea of always having new things and not having to purchase completely new garms, this is perfect."
Here's what Noah picked from The Rotation's clothing rental catalog.
Midnight Studios Hoodie
"Solid piece that I wanted to get my hands on when it first dropped. I missed it, so this was a blessing."
424 Shorts
"These were super cozy and went with everything. Especially good for when you're relaxing in the house."
Midnight Studios T-Shirt
"I would for sure add this to my permanent collection. Solid tee."
Converse x A$AP Nast Crewneck
"I loved that collab and never got my hands on the crewneck so I wanted to test that out too."
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