Looking for a designer dress without the designer price? Rent the Runway.
Online-only RTR has been around since 2009, launched on a fluke by Harvard Business School friends Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss.
Hyman's sister, Becky, needed a sensational dress for a wedding. She had her eye on a designer label. But, alas, it was out of reach. And RTR was born.
Today the online renter of women's clothing and accessories carries more than 100 designer labels, most available for short-term rental for $40 to $350.
Last fall, I found myself in a style predicament. I was part of the Omaha Fashion Week Team and wanted a fashion-forward outfit for the Final Runway Show.
My friend and teammate, Cory McGinn, had reserved two dresses on RTR for the occasion. I checked out the site (www.renttherunway.com) and found several dresses I liked for the OFW event.
Searching was simple. I entered the date of the event, my ZIP code and my dress size. A number of dresses popped into view. I narrowed the selection by body type, price range, color, length, neckline preference, sleeve style, occasion and designer.
I agonized for hours before deciding on the Helmut Lang Graphite Colorblock Dress. Retail: $500; RTR rental, $75. I ordered the dress in two sizes — a standard option — to ensure the best fit. (I could have rented a second dress style for $25 — a steal).
The Helmut Lang dress arrived as promised, neatly packed in a garment bag (which I got to keep). The parcel included two surprise bonus gifts: Fashion tape and lint sheets.
Returning the dress on time was a piece of cake using a pre-addressed, postage-paid envelope from the company.
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THINGS TO KNOW
When you Rent the Runway, you have the option of borrowing items for either four or eight days. It's wise to give yourself a cushion and select a rental start date that's one to two days in advance of the actual event date.
A $5 insurance fee is included in the rental fee in case the dress is damaged while in your possession.
If you are dissatisfied with your RTR experience, simply call customer service (800-509-0842) and your money will be refunded.
If you invite friends to RTR, you'll receive a $20 credit for each order they place.
Rental fees range from $40 to $350, or 10 percent to 15 percent of retail price.
Special-occasion clothing and accessories are most commonly rented. Recently introduced: Bridesmaids' dresses.
Rental volume depends on the time of year. New Year's Eve, for example, typically puts RTR at 90 percent utilization with hardly any dresses left in its warehouse.
Source: Jenn Hyman, CEO and co-founder of Rent the Runway
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