Bloomingdale’s Enters Fashion Rental Market With Subscription Service
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Bloomingdale’s is the latest retail company to tap into the increasingly popular fashion rental market.
The New York-based department store has announced plans to debut My List at Bloomingdale’s, a subscription rental service that will give subscribers access to a revolving closet of women’s ready-to-wear apparel.
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Set to launch in mid-September, My List will initially stock fall looks from 60 brands, including All Saints, Kooples, J Brand and Mackage, and also will offer more than 100 items that are exclusive to the retailer. The service costs $149 per month, which covers shipping both ways and cleaning services.
“We’re excited to … offer our customer another way to experience and engage with Bloomingdale’s,” said Denise Magid, EVP and GMM of RTW, Bloomingdales.com and Concessions, in a statement. “We continually seek ways to evolve to meet the changing needs of shoppers while offering a destination for embracing personal style and discovering newness.”
To get started, customers can add up to 10 items to their online queue, prioritizing favorites. Within three business days, a box will arrive containing four of the pieces, which can then be returned in a pre-paid envelope to unlock a new selection of merchandise. Or the customer has the option to purchase any item.
In today’s challenging retail environment (where department stores, in particular, are struggling to find new ways to engage consumers), clothing rental services have emerged as one of the fastest-growing sectors of the industry.
Rent the Runway, for instance — the company that pioneered the idea in 2009 with designer accessories and apparel — now works with more than 600 brands and is valued at over $1 billion, according to reports.
Encouraged by RTR’s success, apparel company New York & Co. became the first established retailer to offer a rental model in July 2017, while Express and Ann Taylor launched their own versions in late 2018.
And URBN, parent of the Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters and Free People chains, launched its clothing Nuuly rental service this summer.
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