By Hope Varma
It used to be that when people thought of clothing rentals, they imagined tuxedos, sometimes horrible powder blue, and prom dresses, often tacky. Think again.
A new era in clothing rentals now gives New Yorkers access to cutting-edge designs from every major label. Fashion showrooms such as Albright Fashion Library, at 62 Cooper Square, have made people’s dreams of dressing like a fashionista a reality.
“People can wear looks that were once worn by their favorite celebrity,” says Marina Albright, daughter of the founder, Irene Albright. “We carry every major designer from Alaia to Zac Posen.” The showroom, which houses thousands of dresses, shoes and accessories, draws the fashion-savvy. The library owns pieces worn by celebrities including Madonna (remember that Jean Paul Gaultier cone bustier from her Blond Ambition Tour), Sarah Jessica Parker and Bethenny Frankel.
Fashion rentals started with stylists who needed to pull clothing for photo, television and film shoots. Showrooms such as Albright came about as a sort of middle ground between the stylists and the fashion houses—they now had access to multiple designers all in one place. Originally just serving the entertainment industry, the showroom has been open to the general public since the late 1990s.
In today’s economy, a showroom like this is much in demand. “The recession has really created a public demand for fashion rental showrooms,” says Irene Albright. “People don’t have the means to be spending thousands of dollars on clothing.” Indeed, many companies focusing on clothing rentals have opened not only in New York but in other parts of the country. People who couldn’t afford such high-end designs now have the chance to wear fabulous clothing.
“As a 20-something New Yorker, I have a lot of events to attend,” says Julie Mulligan, an Albright customer. “It’s impossible to afford different looks for everything. At Albright, I can rent an Oscar de la Renta cocktail dress for a fraction of the price it would cost to buy it.”
Consultations at Albright begin at $250 and rentals, including the clothes, shoes, bag and other accessories, as well as dry-cleaning of the garments, run $1,000 a week.
The rental business has an online presence, too, with virtual showrooms such as New York-based renttherunway.com. All those women who at one time or another felt “I have nothing to wear” can now, with the simple click of a button, have access to designer dresses for a fraction of the retail price.
This experience is one of online convenience—a woman can rent a Herve Leger dress that retails for $1,600 for $150 and have it delivered the following day. Joining a virtual showroom such as renttherunway.com is simple—there’s no charge to register. Then enter the date for which you need the outfit, enter your size and ZIP code and a list of available dresses will be constructed.
Additionally, members get a backup size at no charge, and a second dress for $25 more.
Mulligan, a 28-year-old architect who lives in Tribeca, browsed the racks at Albright, which were filled with thousands of shoes, from Christian Louboutin to Manolo Blahnik to Yves Saint Laurent, as well as the dresses, which are arranged alphabetically by designer.
One can’t help but feel like a child entering Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. “I walked in really excited about getting to try on all these different looks and was not disappointed,” Mulligan recalls. “By the end, I felt like a princess.”
Feeling like a princess does come at a price, but remember—you may be renting a $10,000 Marchesa gown, with $1,500 Jimmy Choo strappy sandals and a $2,000 Balenciaga clutch for a tenth of the price of the gown. “If you saw Mila Kunis or Olivia Wilde in a dress that you absolutely fell in love with and had an occasion to wear it to, we could facilitate that dream for you,” Marina Albright says.
After trying on many outfits, Ms. Mulligan opted for a short, strapless Marchesa lace cocktail dress, Christian Louboutin black patent leather pumps, a Helmut Lang black coat and a Michael Kors clutch. “I am so happy with the look I chose,” she says. “It has a very New York edge to it, while still being elegant. I also can wear some of the different items throughout the week, before I have to return everything. Overall, I had an amazing experience and will definitely be a return client.”