Exploring the Spectrum of Fashion Rental

Purpose:
Currently, fashion rental is suggested as being a way to bring about sustainability in the fashion industry. Although there has been some success for brands in this space, as of yet fashion rental remains a niche form of consumption. This study aims to uncover consumer perspectives of fashion rental to identify opportunities for developing a fashion rental business that meets the needs of today’s consumers.

Design/methodology/approach:
This is a qualitative study utilising semi-structured interviews combined with brainstorming and drawing exercises. Interviews were conducted with 17 women and 3 men.

Findings:
Findings indicate that considerations around fashion rentals are utilitarian in nature focussing on functional benefits rather than more hedonistic ones. A spectrum of products that people would be most interested in renting is given.

Research limitations/implications:
Although the study invited male and female participants, the sample is more female heavy, which may reflect the fact that women tend to be more open to alternative modes of consumption.

Practical implications:
An important implication is that asking consumers to rent clothing requires a significant change in mindset. Brands need to ensure that their services ‘make sense’ for the consumer to consider it as a viable alternative to purchasing new clothing.

Originality/value:
This paper proposes a spectrum of fashion items that consumers may be interested in renting, this aims to help brands develop services that meet consumer needs.