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Rental fashion has only boomed since its inception – and undoubtedly, has become the go-to option for many eco-conscious wedding guests – but the rising popularity of guilt-free wear-once outfitting has also brought with it another welcome bonus: that is, the ability to actually make money (and lots of it) from our own wardrobes.
In fact, many have found financial freedom they had never dreamed of through such platforms. It's certainly the experience of Kelly Keogh, who has become one of the UK's top rental lenders via fashion rental app Hurr – having so far made over £100,000 by loaning out her wardrobe. Speaking to GLAMOUR, she describes her rental service as her “business and full time job” – and as a mother, says it has given her the ability to work flexibly in a way she never could before.
“For as long as I can remember, I've spent my money on fashion,” she says. “It was my first love. The key driver for all of my first jobs was to be able to buy the clothes that I wanted – but back then, the majority of those purchases were often forgotten as quickly as they arrived.”
"When I first heard about rental, it was a lightbulb moment – suddenly, all of the things I’d coveted in magazines for years were within my budget, and items that I already owned could make me some money when I wasn’t wearing them. So in 2021, after having my second child, I listed my first two Rixo dresses – a black velvet embroidered mini [that has since been rented over 20 times], and a green and pink backless beauty that I’d worn as a bridesmaid. Within days, the bookings came in.
“For the first time ever, I could see that my love of fashion was a genuine opportunity for financial empowerment. Having previously had a career in advertising, I was at home with two under two at the time – and the opportunity felt so exciting.”
For those that treat rental fashion as a business opportunity, there's genuine process and curation behind each item. “I started to carefully reinvest the money that I made on other pieces, and crucially, I considered any new purchases I made in a way that I’d never done before,” she says. “Do I really need this? Will I wear it multiple times? Will others want to wear it too? Do I love it more than anything similar I already own, and is it different enough? If it doesn’t tick all of these boxes – but the burning desire to wear it even once is still there – rental is the answer. For a recovering fast fashion shopaholic, to suddenly stop and think like this was a revelation.”
“I’d dreamt of having a fashion boutique as a kid, but I had never imagined that the carefully selected and treasured items within my wardrobe would become that dream. Or that the beloved pieces I own would be worn by myself, my friends, and thousands of other amazing women. It's so lovely when you get someone telling you that you helped them to feel the best that they’ve felt in years. And seeing someone style something that you own in a totally different way really does strengthen the desire to wear your items even more.”
Kelly isn't one to gatekeep her success, and maintains that you don't need to buy anything new to start renting out your wardrobe. “While for me, fashion rental has become my career, the beauty of the changing rental and resale landscape means that we are free to make it work in a way that is entirely individual to each of us,” she says. “The very best way to get started is by using what you already have.”
But there are some golden rules to stick to. Kelly notes that good product pictures against a plain background are best – as well as any good shots of yourself wearing the pieces – and a brief description with any fit notes to help potential renters understand the sizing. “When you get a booking, good customer service is crucial – rental allows a truly personalised experience, so take advantage of this,” she adds. “Maintaining items so that they are always properly cleaned at the end of the rental is a given, and taking photographs before and after sending is also good practice. Using sturdy, preferably recyclable packaging is also important – think of the end-to-end customer experience.”
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As for brands, Kelly says Zimmermann, Rixo and Self Portrait are all great places to start: “their timeless designs and excellent quality make them great wardrobe classics and rental staples.” She adds: “Some of the best pieces to lend – and rent – will be items that are no longer available to buy online – think sold out colour-ways of Cult Gaia’s iconic Muna dress, or discontinued Rixo prints.”
Kelly is so passionate about her lending career that it has led to another business, The Lending Collective, launched with fellow fashion rental entrepreneur Jess Templeton. They offer toolkits and advice to those who are serious about starting up their own rental hustles on apps like Hurr.
“Like with any other business, monitoring and analysing your results is key,” she says. “We've created easily digestible handbooks to intro you to the world of renting and lending. The same spreadsheets that we use to run our businesses are available to purchase, offering not only the ability to track your wardrobe and your earnings, but also to plan your weekly rentals, and analyse profit and loss according to both financial and tax years.”
“My wardrobe is now not just my passion, it’s my business and my full time job. I work flexibly around my family – which has been a godsend – and the hours spent researching and carefully curating have been long but worth it. Over 2500 rentals later, my renters are still coming back. Being a lender allows me to offer a truly bespoke service – personal shopping and styling all built into a sustainable and more cost-effective way to feel amazing in luxury fashion, without any eco guilt.”
Take a look at Kelly's wardrobe on Hurr.
