Ralph Lauren Launches a Clothing Rental Service

Ralph Lauren has announced the introduction of ‘The Lauren Look,’ the company’s first subscription apparel rental initiative. Let's figure out what it is and why this program is needed.

The main goal of the service is to provide fans of the brand with the opportunity not only to purchase new clothes, but also to rent fashionable looks, as well as exchange the old ones. Ralph Lauren is the first luxury brand to pioneer a fully articulated rental model, offering consumers an innovative new channel to experience, engage, and ultimately shop the brand.

“Consumers today are taking a different approach to experiencing brands and building their wardrobes. The closet of the future will include a mix of new seasonal fashion, unique customised pieces and wardrobe staples, alongside pre-owned and rented clothing. With our timeless aesthetic, we are incredibly well positioned to play across each of these categories,”Patrice Louvet, president and chief executive officer at Ralph Lauren said in a statement.

In addition to supporting the reduction of clothing waste by expanding the lifespan of garments that might otherwise be purchased and worn only a few times, the collections will be part of a special after-use programme. Once the clothes have reached the rental cap, they will be donated to Delivering Good, a non-profit organization that provides people who are impacted by poverty and tragedy with new and nearly new merchandise to offer hope, dignity, and self-esteem to at-risk children, families, and individuals, Ralph Lauren said.

More than that, Lauren Look allows us to explore an entirely new model tapping into the growing focus on the sharing economy and revolutionizing how we look at fashion consumption. ”Launching with Lauren, our most widely distributed and accessible brand, is a testament to the growth we see in this space and will help us further anticipate the evolving needs and makeup of our consumers’ future closet,” David Lauren, chief innovation and branding officer at Ralph Lauren said.

The service is currently in test mode in North America and includes clothing from the Lauren Ralph Lauren brand.