What are fashion rentals and how are they thriving? Le Tote case study.

The fashion industry raises a lot of concerns about the future. As one of the most polluting sectors and one that continues to show ever-increasing consumers’ interest, a disruption of the "produce-consume-discard" system is becoming necessary. Through various other industries, we see the emergence of more and more new business models that offer alternative consumption practices and concepts aiming at reducing the negative environmental impact. Collaborative economies that emphasize on efficient product functionality in combination with an ownerless model, are opening brand new opportunities in the markets. The fashion industry is no different from any other sector. Clothing rental companies also called fashion rentals, are flourishing. Unfortunately, they are still quite unknown by the public and very little information can be found in the literature about fashion rentals. This thesis will try to develop a better understanding of the fashion rentals and illustrate with a case study made on the Californian company Le Tote, which offers its subscribers access to an infinite wardrobe. The points discussed will focus on competitive advantages, logistics, consumer perspectives and environmental impact.