Labels for Rent

A subset of the subscription box sector consists of online personal styling services, sometimes known as rent-to-buy services or clothing rental boxes.

In this model, subscribers set their preferences and, for a subscription fee, receive periodic boxes containing five to 10 items they might like, curated by the service’s staff stylists, to try for a specified length of time. After the trial period, which can be as little as a few days long, they keep what they like, send back the rest, and have their purchases automatically billed to their credit card. The monthly or quarterly subscription fee is typically deducted from the often already-discounted price on any purchases made.

Many of these styling services have been outperforming the rest of the subscription box market, and some have been launching private labels that position them as potential direct-to-etail partners for the licensing community. They are increasingly willing to enter into agreements with outside parties for exclusive items and collaborative collections.

For example:

• Rent the Runway announced last month that it would release three designer collaborations consisting of 10 to 15 pieces each from Derek Lam, Prabal Gurung, and Jason Wu. The service intends to expand this “Designer Collective” program to include additional labels in the future.
• Also in January, Gwynnie Bee, a plus-size specialist service, announced it was working with Shoshanna Gruss on a size-inclusive brand-extension of her signature Shoshanna brand, under the C’est Nous by Shoshanna label. The collection focuses on casual and professional dresses. Previous Gwynnie Bee collaboration partners over the past few years have included Tocca, Hemant and Nandita, and Rachel Antonoff.
• Fabletics, co-founded by actress Kate Hudson, launched its latest partnership, a 17-piece dance-inspired collection with singer Kelly Rowland, at the beginning of this year. It released its first collaboration in 2017, with actress/singer Demi Lovato, and offered a cause-related capsule with Hudson’s mom, Goldie Hawn, in 2018.
• Trunk Club announced the latest of four joint collections with fashion and lifestyle blogger Kerrie M. Burke in November 2018. The curated assortments were selected by Burke and her personal stylist to reflect her tastes. Trunk Club has previously partnered in similar ways with bloggers Mary Orton (Memorandum) and Mara Ferreira (M Loves M).
• Dia & Co., a plus-size specialist, paired in 2018 with EleVen by Venus Williams, marking the tennis player’s debut into the extended-size arena, and with activewear brand Day/Won, founded by plus-size model Candice Huffine. The two collaborations brought Dia into the activewear category. In fall 2017, Dia paired with the Nanette Nanette Lepore brand, enabling the designer label’s first foray into the plus-size segment.
• Stitch Fix teamed in spring of 2018 with Karl Lagerfeld Paris for Lagerfeld’s first plus-size collection, starting with 15 styles, followed by a fall collection in August. The styling service’s first collaboration occurred back in October of 2017 when it partnered with designer Jason Wu for a five-piece capsule under the Grey Jason Wu label.
• Le Tote paired with actress, model, and influencer Olivia Culpo for a 10-piece summer collection in 2017, representing the latter’s first apparel collaboration. The assortment was available to any shopper, not just subscribers, although members could purchase items at a lower price than non-members. In 2016, Le Tote partnered with VIDA, a low-cost, e-commerce-based, artist-driven label, for exclusive printed tank tops designed by two VIDA artists.

For fashion, celebrity, and lifestyle brands, partnering with personal styling services brings awareness among a set group of consumers (and potential consumers) that are actively looking for something new; offers detailed feedback about what’s working, both in terms of data and anecdotal messaging from engaged fans; and is a good way to test a new category (e.g. the plus-size market).

For the styling services, collaborations can bring in new subscribers, including those who have never tried a subscription box before; allows the services to offer something new to their existing members, whether or not those customers know the collaborator; and can help raise the brands’ profile and differentiate themselves in a competitive and still, to some consumers, little-known retail channel.