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Diane von Furstenberg is launching a new rental fashion subscription service called DVF Link. From the brand’s iconic collection of women’s apparel and, of course, Diane von Furstenberg’s iconic wrap dresses, DVF Link will offer customers a box of 4 garments at a time for a flat monthly fee, inclusive of shipping, returns, dry cleaning and an option to purchase individual pieces at a discounted rate. The brand’s venture into rental service comes after a wave of similar moves in the fashion industry, and is a signal that the luxury fashion market will be no exception to the explosive takeover of the sustainable fashion trend.
Founded in 1972, Diane von Furstenberg created her eponymous label in New York City and famously invented the iconic wrap dress style that has become a ubiquitous design in dress collections all over the fashion industry. Now, Diane von Furstenberg will make her timeless designs available through a new rental subscription platform DVF Link.
Her sustainable initiative will allow customers to browse through the brand’s collection of women’s apparel, and choose a box of four garments at a time for a monthly rate of US$159. Members of the new rental service will also enjoy unlimited shipping, returns, dry cleaning service and an option to purchase pieces they love at a discount.
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Currently, DVF Link will only service customers in the United States, but the brand is working on expanding their international coverage in the coming months, according to DVF Link’s website.
The initiative comes as a number of other players have made moves into rental, driven by consumer demand for a more eco-friendly way to shop. COS, the independent upmarket label under H&M Group, recently started a rental subscription service in China in collaboration with the country’s leading consignment platform YCloset with a reach of 15 million registered users. According to a recent analysis by the World Economic Forum, the booming rental sector in China is set to take over a fifth of the country’s GDP by as soon as 2025.
The trend is extending to other industries too, such as the hospitality business with the global hotel chain W Hotels unveiling a “Closet Concierge” concept in partnership with subscription platform Rent the Runway. Under this service, hotel guests can customise rental orders and have their pieces delivered directly to their hotel rooms, lightening their baggage load and reducing the need to shop for new items specifically for travel.
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The recent initiative by Diane von Furstenberg is a reflection that the luxury fashion market will not be exempt from the consumer demand for more sustainable alternatives. Reports documenting the massive textile waste, water pollution and carbon emissions attributable to the fashion industry has sent shoppers towards rental, upcycled, secondhand and recycled options, and existing brands – including luxury labels – will have to accommodate.
Already, upmarket retailers such as Harvey Nichols and Selfridges have introduced refurbishment services in a bid to become more sustainable by extending the lifespan of products through resale. And with one of the first luxury designers on board to embrace rental fashion, we’re likely to continue seeing more brands reveal their sustainable offerings in the near future.
Lead image courtesy of Britannica.
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