The Lauren Look

By Selina DufnerDue to the current pandemic and the fact that our social life is basically non-existent, fashion is  the last thing on the mind of many people. Consequently, even major fashion brands are  suffering financially and have been forced to get creative and find new ways to attract  customers. Taking into account that their customers are also very likely on a tight budget, Ralph  Lauren came up with an extremely brilliant solution and recently launched their very own rental  service: The Lauren Look.  All you have to do is to subscribe for a membership, starting at $126 a month, and create your  virtual closet by selecting your favourite items. You are free to select as many items as you  please, but only four of them can be sent to you at once. However, unlimited free shipping and  returns are some of the member benefits. This means that you can order a new box every day as long as you don't forget to always return your last order. Should you fall in love with an item and decide to purchase it, members are offered an exclusive discount. Plus, you get a style guide with every box to give you some ideas on how to style every item. Another advantage: free dry cleaning is also included. Not only for hygienic reasons but also to ensure the safety of the customers. The Lauren Look is not only good for our wallets but, above that, for the environment. Rental  services are an affordable alternative to fast fashion brands. "The Lauren Look allows us to  explore an entirely new model tapping into the growing focus on the sharing economy and  revolutionizing how we look at fashion consumption”, stated David Lauren, the Chief Innovation  Officer of Ralph Lauren. In my opinion, the only negative aspect of The Lauren Look is the fact that their service is  limited to customers living in the U.S, but I can see them expanding it in the future as well as  other brands adopting the idea.I would like to end this article with an optimistic quote from Jennifer Hyman, CEO of the  company Rent the Runway, from an interview for Fortune back in December 2020: "I think in  the back half of 2021 is going to be the best moment in time for the fashion industry that I've  seen in my career. Fashion is about self-expression, it's about showing up in the world as you  want people to see you. And in the back half of next year, when we're able to celebrate, we're  able to take vacations, we're able to go back into the office, people are going to want to show  up in their own lives with passion”.  I completely agree with Jennifer Hyman and I am absolutely positive that the fashion industry,  as well as our social life, will bounce back.