Luxury chain Flannels enters rental with raft of 'it' labels

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Nov 1, 2022

Frasers Group’s luxury Flannels chain is the latest retailer to enter the rental sector and like others, it’s linking up with Hurr to do so. The company is promising a “disruptive edit of the most of-the-moment womenswear labels in the world, hailing a dynamic shift in the rental market”.

Importantly too, the online-only-for-now service will be added to next year with a dedicated space in the retailer’s Liverpool flagship store. 

The retailer said the rental platform houses an “expansive range of women’s ready-to-wear and accessories, marking a powerful injection of modernity and fashion relevance to the booming online clothing rental market; currently predicted to reach $7 billion by 2025”.

Just launched, the offer includes labels such as Area, Coperni, Mugler, Maisie Wilen, Dion Lee, and 16Arlington. Highlights in the edit include a studded pink iteration of Coperni’s ‘it’ Swipe bag, Dion Lee corsets and a wide array of sequinned 16Arlington midi and mini dresses.

Flannels said aiming at “a customer daring to experiment, the range will hero a bold and directional approach to occasionwear, continuing to refresh with seasonal heroes thereafter including categories such as skiwear”. The latter category is key given that we’ve already heard from Selfridges how skiwear is a massively popular part of its rental offer. 

All items are available to rent via Hurr’s usual periods of four, eight, 10 and 20 days on flannelsrental.com. Hurr is managing all aspects of the end-to-end experience including logistics, storage and cleaning. 

Flannels said the move is “a continuation of the retailer’s spirit of accessibility and determination to push retail boundaries”.

Rental is clearly seen as a must-have for many chains these days. And while it may not involve a direct sale, it’s an important marketing channel. It’s a way to reach out to the customers who desire the labels the chain is carrying and to engage the shopper who might eventually be converted into a buyer. It also boosts Flannels sustainability drive.