Is What We Own Really Ours?

In a world where the impact of fast fashion is becoming increasingly real to some people. Shopping in fast fashion retail stores or online stores is at an all time low, with companies closing their doors and going into administration. Consumers are turning to vintage stores, second hand stores, or investing in higher end prices which’ll last longer. But the convenience of fast fashion can be too tempting to people. It is easy to access, cheap, and good if you need clothes for a specific event including holidays, weddings, nights out etc. People that shop fast fashion often will wear the clothes once or twice then it’ll sit in their wardrobe, get thrown away or break. Fast fashion clothing items are usually made cheaply due to how quickly they’re turned out from catwalk to high street. So people that need clothes for a specific occasion or reason have no other choice but to turn fast fashion.

Companies have seen a gap in the market for this, and with the only other options being to fork out for expensive, good quality clothes or to shop second hand. Some people can’t afford to pay £100 for a nice going out dress which they will probably only wear once or twice, so the solution, is renting.

When you think of renting, you don’t think of clothes, but maybe you should. MY WARDROBE HQ is the UK’s first fashion rental marketplace. It’s a platform where customers can access both current and past season designers’ collections as well as pre-loved pieces. The website is clear and easy to use. You can search for anything such as “black strappy heels” or “wrap dress” and an endless amount of possibilities come up. You then have the option to rent the pieces for a discounted price, and then if you love and want to keep the piece then you are able to purchase it afterwards. Otherwise you return the item, without having to pay anymore.

This idea is new to the UK, but in countries like America, it is easily accessible to rent out a piece of clothing or even boxes of clothes, where you can then choose to purchase them or send them back after the rental period is over. Could this be the future for fashion.