CaaStle, Rental Tech Platform, Expands to the U.K. With L.K. Bennett and Moss Bros.
CaaStle, the leading business-to-business rental technology platform in the U.S., is branching out into the United Kingdom.
CaaStle has teamed with men’s wear retailer Moss Bros. to launch Moss Box, a first-of-its-kind subscription rental service for men in the U.K. The company will also partner with L.K. Bennett to launch an unlimited rental service for women.
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In the U.S., CasStle operates subscription-based rental services for such retailers as Vince, Rebecca Taylor, Express, Banana Republic, Destination Maternity, Walmart’s Eloquii brand and Lauren Ralph Lauren.
“In today’s challenging retail landscape, subscription rental offers accretive operating income through better returns on assets and a powerful new digital acquisition tool for brands that previously relied heavily on their physical stores to grow their customer base,” said Christine Hunsicker, founder and chief executive officer of CaaStle.
Subscription-based clothing rental services have mostly focused on women’s wear. The first service to launch on CaaStle’s U.K. platform will serve the growing men’s wear market with clothing from high street men’s retailer Moss Bros Group. CaaStle entered the men’s rental market in the U.S. in 2019 through its partnership with Scotch & Soda for the launch of Scotch Select and with Express for their Men’s Style Trial service.
Moss Box will launch on April 20 offering customers unlimited access to rent styles from brands including Moss Bros, Hugo by Hugo Boss, Barberis and Ted Baker. For a flat monthly fee of 65 pounds, members can choose two styles to rent with unlimited exchanges and the option to keep and purchase any items at a discounted price. The service includes the ability to swap one or two items when ready and as many times as they want, free unlimited shipping and returns, and complimentary eco-friendly laundering services.
“We launched our hire service in 1897 and we’ve outfitted people for the biggest moments in their lives ever since,” said Moss Bros. CEO Brian Brick. “With such a long heritage we’re well-known for our formalwear, but over the last several seasons, we’ve evolved with shifts in mind-sets and shopping patterns to suit the more casual way men dress now. We’re excited to partner with CaaStle to offer our diversified product lineup on a new channel in the U.K. men’s wear market with Moss Box. The subscription model will drive awareness of the Moss Bros. brand, engaging our current customers as well as reaching new ones by offering them to try our product before buying.”
Hunsicker added, “The pandemic has shifted shopping behaviors and accelerated the need for retailers to provide a cost-effective solution that enables customers to introduce variety in their wardrobes and to experiment with fashion from home. By leveraging our CaaS platform, innovative retailers like Moss Bros. and L.K. Bennett can quickly streamline inventory and focus on strengthening their core while giving consumers access to engage with their brand in an exciting, new and meaningful way.”
A retailer running on the CaaStle platform uses its own inventory, controls its brand and owns customer relationships. CaaStle operates the rental service in a fully managed way, including all proprietary technology and logistics. For its U.K. launch, CaaStle has partnered with ACS Clothing Ltd., a sustainable garment solutions provider in the U.K., to handle all cleaning and fulfillment operations for its international platform at ACS’s state-of-the-art facility in Glasgow.
L.K. Bennett’s new rental service will launch in the late summer.
Darren Top, CEO of L.K. Bennett Fashion Ltd., said, “We believe this new rental offering will attract a new customer base to LKB, as it will satisfy those seeking a more sustainable way of shopping. We don’t see this replacing core e-commerce, but rather complementing it and adding choice. Rental will allow customers who can’t afford or don’t want to spend the amount required to own an LKB item to wear an LKB outfit for a special occasion. If they’re already an LKB fan, this service enables them to rotate their wardrobe regularly and get fresh items for their everyday wardrobe.”
L.K. Bennett, which was founded in Wimbledon in 1990, offers clothing, shoes and accessories, designed by their London-based head office team.
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