Looking for a Christmas party outfit? M&S might be the answer this year.
The high street brand has launched a new rental service ahead of the festive season, meaning you can bag a dress (skirt, or jumpsuit) for a bargain price and wear it for one night only.
The retailer is hot on the heels of high-end department stores, such as Selfridges and Harrods, who’ve both launched rental services this year with eco-conscious customers in mind.
The M&S rental edit is available via the website Hirestreet and is made up of more than 40 womenswear pieces from the brand’s Autograph range – with a focus on premium fabrics such as leather and silk – and the very latest dresses from its popular M&S X Ghost collaboration.
Right: M&S X GHOST wrap dress, RRP £79. Rent for £15.
The collection items have a selling price of between £69 and £250 with M&S, and will be available to rent from £13 for four days.
Here’s how it works
Once you find an item you like, simply select your size, choose your rental period (from four to 30 days) and select your delivery date. M&S recommends you book your delivery to arrive two days before your event.
A great thing about this service is that you can try on rental outfits ahead of a special occasion. To do this, order the item for a four day rental and return it unworn with the ribbon still attached to the Post Office. Use the site’s contact form to get in touch and receive rental credit, which can then be used to rent the outfit (or another) for your actual event date.
What about accidental damage and cleaning?
At the checkout you have an option to add accidental damage cover to your order, which covers any repairable damage that happens during your rental period. But be warned, that doesn’t cover against loss, theft or damage beyond repair.
The good news is you do not need to worry about cleaning an item of clothing before sending it back. Simply pop it in the post and the company will professionally dry clean the outfit before it’s given to another customer.
M&S is one of the first high street brands to enter into the rental market, with existing services tending to focus on high-end products. But if you fancy a treat, here’s some of the other sites that should be on your radar:
By Rotation
By Rotation is a peer-to-peer platform, meaning you can make money by advertising your clothes for rental, or rent clothes from other users. Because it’s peer-to-peer, you’ll find a good variety of sizes, in brands including Self Portrait, Hope And Ivy, The Vampire’s Wife and Rixo. The Ganni dress above originally retailed for £182, but can be rented from £20 per day.
Selfridges & Co Rental
Haven’t got the budget for Selfridges? No problem. The company has teamed up with the rental service HURR, allowing you to rent some of the biggest brands stocked at its London department store. You’ll also find a capsule collection in the store, where you can try before you buy rent. The Rotate Birger Christensen dress above, for example, retails for £300, but can be rented for £41.81 per day.
My Wardrobe HQ
My Wardrobe HQ allows you to buy or rent high-end outfits direct from brands or peer-to-peer exchange. The company has recently teamed up with Harrods to add even more outfits to its collections. The above dress Alexandre Vauthier retails for £4,175 and is available to rent from £63.