There’s an app called By Rotation, which allows women to rent clothes from other women. It interests me for two main reasons:
- it is entirely peer-to-peer;
- its social aspect.
Users can follow each other on the app — and there are handy “by size” filters for profiles so you’ll know the stranger’s clothes are at least likely to fit you, even if their taste may be a little outré — idea being to turn a vicarious admiration of another woman’s style into actually paying her to borrow that dress you’re thirsting on.
Another feature By Rotation has in the app to pad out the experience — and try to avoid it feeling too nakedly transactional and e-commerce-y — is the ability to create Pinterest-style mood boards. It’s also working on more gamification features to keep users engaged, Kabra said.
This is an interesting model for me to analyse, thinking about how I could adapt it. This is what I want to achieve with my idea, the Controra Fashion Club: building a community where women can feel safe to seek advice, share tips, personal experiences, and also attend events in retail spaces where they can do more than shop for clothes (make new friends, discover new hobbies, etc.)