Making glamorous designer dresses accessible is the goal of Christchurch-based fashion rental enterprise Lend the Label.
Founded by 21-year-old Bre Poulter, the clothing hire business has been operating online for just over a year and has attracted more than 11,000 Facebook followers.
„I’d just had my second child and was looking for a business I could run from home when a friend mentioned that she was renting a dress off another friend and paying for it,“ Bre says, describing how she came up with the „fashion for hire“ concept.
„I looked into it and saw there were a couple of people offering fashion rentals overseas. That night, I came up with a business plan and it developed from there. Mum [Rochelle Poulter] and I run it together and buy all of our garments.“
Driving the venture’s growth is the allure of being able to hire a luxury silk outfit or stylish designer dress for a fraction of the cost of buying it. A typical Saturday night rental from Lend the Label is $30 to $100.
„With social media, everyone wants to wear something gorgeous. Expectations have really gone up. People look at what the celebrities are wearing on Instagram, but they don’t want to pay $700 for a dress they may only wear once.
„Renting an outfit is so much more cost-effective and it’s an environmentally friendly option, too. The bigger issue out there is how much we are buying and consuming; many people want to make an environmentally aware choice.“
Lend the Label is finding a receptive market among those wanting on-trend outfits for school balls, weddings, 21st birthday parties and formal work functions. By arrangement, some people even hire designer wear to take on holiday for a couple of weeks.
Orders are running hot for New Zealand Cup and Show Week (kicking off in Christchurch from November 11), with strong demand for outfits delivering classic glamour, frivolous fun or celebrity-style panache.
Having an excuse to spend hours shopping online for beautiful clothes is one of the perks of the job. Bre is impressed by many of Australia’s top designers, who feature strongly on racks at Lend the Label. Examples include Alice McCall, Bec & Bridge, Camilla, Sisters the Label and Zimmermann.
„It’s what everyone is looking for. You see celebrities wearing Australian brands; the market is going that way.“
New Zealand’s best is represented, too, via labels such as Miss Crabb and Ruby, with Trelise Cooper and PIA Boutique also joining the lineup this season.
„We are looking for young, aspiring New Zealand designers who would be great to work with, too.“
Rental requests come from all over New Zealand. All hire garments are delivered nicely folded and wrapped in tissue paper. Pre-paid post bags are provided for their return. Bre says most people take good care of what they rent and everything is checked and drycleaned before being hired again. Garments that look a little tired or show any sign of wear are sold.
Longer-term goals are to expand the rental range into fashion accessories such as shoes and bags, and, eventually, even men’s fashionwear. For now, Bre is busy enough focusing on growing the existing range while juggling life at home with two young children.
„I’ve had a lot of help from Mum, but I’m often up really late getting things done.“
Lend the Label started off targeting women aged 16 to 27, but Bre says the concept is catching on with older women, too, and the business is buying more clothing to suit their requirements.
„We’re taking it one step at a time, but we want to keep growing our stock to the point where we could have a warehouse and become one of the leading designer rental companies in New Zealand.“Read more at:orange formal dresses | white formal dresses