Published by Vogue on 17 May 2020

Much of the fashion industry is suffering under the coronavirus pandemic, but few areas have been hit as hard as fashion rental. It is in the unfortunate position where much of its value is made obsolete by quarantine, social distancing and the cancellation of events. But will coronavirus change our long-term attitude towards sharing clothes?

No events, no renting

Before the pandemic struck, renting clothes was seen as the ultimate solution to the damaging buy-once wear-once culture. But now that events have been put on hold and holidays seem like a distant dream, the future of rental looks far from certain. While some sites have encouraged people to continue renting items for all those Zoom meetings we've been having, it's a difficult sell considering the price point. "A lot of the items are still fairly expensive even though you rent them, but the idea would be you're going to a wedding or event," says Chana Baram, senior retail analyst at market research firm Mintel. "Why would anyone be renting clothes right now?"

Hygiene

Hygiene is also another major concern during the current pandemic. Clear health and safety guidelines are essential. Despite the strict protocols in place, customers may still be put off by the thought of sharing clothes with somebody else at the moment — a worry that rental sites will also have to address beyond the pandemic.

Hopes for the future

However, while rental has been hit hard during international lockdowns, there are already positive signs that the sector is recovering. YCloset in China has seen the numbers of people renting increase since lockdown measures were eased at the end of March. "With the gradual return to work, [renting] is also gradually picking up," says founder and executive director Mengyuan Liu.

Full article below

Full article: Will the fashion rental market ever recover from Covid-19?