The Clothing Rental App That Wants To End Fast Fashion

Brits purchase more clothing than any other European country, spending £2.7 billion ($3.5 billion) on fashion that they only wear once.

The founder of a fashion technology company called By Rotation is hoping to change consumer habits, and help the planet to boot.

U.K.-based, India-born and Singapore-raised Eshita Kabra came up with the idea when she was planning her honeymoon.

"I turned to social media for ideas on what to wear, and always saw influencers on social media wearing beautiful clothing—often only once—in idyllic settings. I started to wonder if these items were gifted from the brands themselves or bought just for the photo, and what would happen to them after."

Kabra didn't want to follow the footsteps of Rent the Runway, or China's YCloset, as she wanted to "build a sustainable community, rather than a cheaper alternative to dressing new."

By Rotation launched via a beta platform in April 2019, while 28-year-old Kabra was still working full time at a hedge fund.

Kabra says her company differs from players like Rent the Runway, or U.K. companies such as Girl Meets Dress, Front Row, and Our Closet, as they are the "U.K.'s first and only fashion rental app."

"We are a pure peer-to-peer fashion rental marketplace meaning we do not buy any inventory whatsoever unlike all the other businesses.

"Most of our peers focus on occasion wear and are for fashion-conscious females whereas we cater to a wide range of outfits and therefore prices."

Rentals range from £15 for a Reformation dress to £75 for a Birkin bag and the app is open to all genders.

But shifting mindsets about renting has been a "big part" of the challenge.

"We liken ourselves and give the examples of AirBnB, Uber and Vestiaire Collective to warm up and remind people how common the sharing and circular economies have become."

Kabra says her upbringing played a role in wanting to launch the brand.

"I was born in Rajasthan, a place known for its textile mills and craftsmanship; I grew up in Singapore, where our national hobby is shopping while repeatedly being taught the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and made to feel guilty about wasting water, and I live in the United Kingdom, where people are fashion-conscious and increasingly turning up the volume on sustainable causes.

"The same people have also embraced sharing economies such as Airbnb, Uber and Fat Llama—so why not fashion?"

In order to stay as sustainable as possible, the company doesn't buy in any inventory, which also poses another issue around sizing and style.

"We continue to invite and grow awareness within our community so we can have something on offer for everyone," Kabra says. "As we educate and shift perceptions on the importance of sharing via renting and therefore decreasing consumption, we encourage our community of Rotators to strive towards a more sustainable lifestyle.

"We regularly host and connect our community at our events where we discuss and debate important topics affecting climate change and the fashion industry."

Kabra plans to expand internationally, as well as launch partnerships with charities within the next two quarters. Since the beta launch, the app has already had more than 4,000 users sign up and completed 250-plus transactions.

"My ultimate ambition for By Rotation is to disrupt the fashion industry by bringing an end to low-quality fast fashion."

Abendkleider

This Season's Hottest Fashion Show Is The Moulin Rouge

If you're lucky enough to experience the Broadway show, Moulin Rouge, then you'll experience fashion taking center stage. From the nightclub dancers' intricate corsetry, to the mens' sequin suiting, to the gowns draping the peacocks of the Right Bank, the wardrobes are as central to the storytelling as the choreography, songs and high-octane sets. Many of the costumes, at the genius hands of costume designer Catherine Zuber, were inspired by those design houses staging runway shows today - John Paul Gaultier, Alexander McQueen and Thierry Mugler, among them. I sat down with Ms. Zuber where we chatted influences behind the looks, and which designers inspire her most.

I'm always looking at what's happening on the runway - mainly in Paris and Milan. For example, there's a scene where suddenly we're in wealthy Paris - and those costumes the rich people were wearing, in mauve and pale pink tones - a lot of that was taken from the Dior collection from 2006. They had taken Belle Epoque visuals, pumped them up to another level, and it was quite inspiring. I don't always look at the current year, but I love to look at couture archives over the last 30 years. There are amazing moments where people are experimenting with taking things from the past and deconstructing and manipulating. John Paul Gaultier, Alexander McQueen, Christian Lacroix, Thierry Mugler, John Galliano - they're all amazing artists and it's so inspiring how they put colors together, the types of fabrics they use and how they reference the history of costume in such modern, dynamic ways.

The corsetry you see from those couture houses is just incredible. What Mcqueen does, what Mugler does with corsets - we really worked hard on those. The fitting has to be so precise and then for us, there's the added challenge of movement. We had to pay special attention to where the boning is, where it isn't, where the support is, where we put stretch, where we don't put anything. Each piece is fit to such precision. It was quite demanding, but incredibly satisfying in the end.

                                                                     

                                            ΦΟΡΕΜΑΤΑ ΜΠΑΛΑ

The Best Dog Gear For Fall And Winter

As the days get shorter and the nights get cooler, it is a sure sign that fall and winter are on their way. And for dog owners, that means it is time to start getting ready for the change in weather.

I have had active dogs for the past 20-plus years, and they love running through the deep snow where I live, but dogs in different locales have different needs come wintertime. In general, smaller and short-coated dogs need to worry more about a warmth, dogs walked during hunting season or after work in the earlier darkness need to worry about visibility and many dogs have to worry about their paws.

Some dogs can get away with a thin fleece sweater, but if your dog is especially sensitive to the cold or is going to be spending a lot of time outdoors (such as hiking or skiing in winter), the top of the line choice is the Powder Hound by Ruffwear. The hybrid construction combines synthetic insulation that packs in warmth and will still work even if it gets wet with active stretch fabrics to allow unlimited freedom of movement. This is important because this model completely covers the dog’s underbelly and the tops of its front legs, which most coats do not, and this prevents uncomfortable snow buildup that often occurs on the chest and underarms. It is lined with cozy fleece on the inside and comes in three colors and sizes, for dogs from XXS to XL.

robes de mariée

Colombia Blooms At Miami Fashion Week

"Welcome to Miami". In 1997, Will Smith put this city of neon and azure on the global pop culture map. Launched a year later, Miami Fashion Week has been "getting jiggy with it" ever since. In recent years it has become the hottest international platform for swimwear and resort style apparel. Given its strategic geopolitical location, Miami positions itself as a gateway between the North American market and Latin American and Caribbean designers on the cusp of going global. This season basked in special media spotlight thanks to Antonio Banderas, its Honorary President. The world is experiencing a Banderas Renaissance. He arrived in Florida from the Cannes Film Festival where he had won Best Actor prize at for Pain & Glory, the latest Almodovar film. Banderas is also the menswear ambassador for the Spanish premium retail giant El Corte Inglés. His trademark style, passion and wit brought the attendees’ excitement to a whole next level.

In all seriousness, Latin American designers approach Miami Fashion Week as an opportunity to reach American audiences and governments and chambers of commerce see a chance at fashion diplomacy here. Case in point is Colombia. Two emergent designers took Miami runways by storm: Glory Ang from the coastal Cartagena and Daniella Batlle from Barranquilla, a city famous for its Carnaval. Both anticipated shows featured an explosion of tropical flora in key summer colors.

Colombia is the world’s leading exporter of flowers thanks to its everlasting spring climate and seemingly endless varieties of tropical blossoms. It is no wonder Colombian fashion lovers and designers cannot get enough of flowers. Miami is a perfect place to showcase that devotion. Flowers also play an important role in its cultures, both indigenous and of Spanish heritage.

In fact, Glory Ang finds the historical mix particularly fascinating. "I love the colors and textiles, the passion of my people along with traditional Andalusian and Spanish garment design elements," comments the designer. Just within the last year her sales took the brand from a single brick and mortar storefront to prominent e-commerce platforms.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF CANADIAN FASHION?

It should be bright verging on blinding: The design talent in this country is extraordinary. But the industry's problems are deep and structural: It's hugely expensive to launch a brand, but government funding for fashion doesn't exist. It's essential to be in places where your customers shop, but (most) retailers don't support homegrown designers. To chat about the challenges and forecast the future, we invited eight industry leaders to the St. Regis Toronto for a rollicking round-table chat with our editor-in-chief, Laura deCarufel. We talked money, Meghan Markle, Canadian identity and how to spark lasting change.

AWARENESS AND ACCESS
How much awareness is there in Canada about Canadian designers? Do you think Canadians want to buy local fashion?
Judith Maria Bradley: "I've always wondered why people in this country don't know the names of their designers."

Bojana Sentaler: "I've definitely seen a change in the last couple of years. Ten years ago when I founded Sentaler, people didn't even know Canada had fashion designers. Now we have some clients who won't wear anything but Canadian. One particular client said she got rid of everything in her closet and she's only replacing her wardrobe with Canadian designers. I think the change has to do with events like CAFA [Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards] and TV shows like Stitched. And when Sophie Grégoire Trudeau appeared in Vogue wearing Canadian, people were like, ‘Oh, Canada and fashion—those two words can be in one sentence.' Meghan Markle has also made it a point to wear Canadian—she's helped the world see that we have great fashion designers."

Sylvia Mantella: "I think the awareness has grown, but the key now is access. How do you access Canadian brands? Everyone these days lives very busy lives—I'm always going a thousand miles an hour—so making access easy for people is essential."