It’s not just street style trends for which Copenhagen Fashion Week sets the agenda (flip flops, tent dresses and bike shorts, you saw them here first). In recent years, the Danish capital has forged a reputation as trailblazer for the sustainability agenda. In January, Cecilie Thorsmark – CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week – announced a radical action plan setting out targets for designers to meet in the next three years. If they don’t? Well, they face being struck off the schedule.
Ganni, the Scandi super brand with seemingly universal appeal, has been a loud voice in the conscious conversation, adhering to rigorous practices that it’s not afraid to be transparent about. And now it’s teamed up with Levi’s for an exclusive capsule collection of 100% up-cycled denim pieces made from vintage 501s. You can’t actually buy any of it, but that’s good news: it’s available for rental only.
Having launched a rental service, Ganni Repeat, in Denmark last year – where hit styles could be rented for up to three weeks – this time it’s being rolled out to the UK as well. Designed to be ‘worn by many, owned by none’, stand out pieces include shirts and dresses with the brand’s signature Peter Pan collars and straight-leg, patchwork jeans.
Prices for the collection, which is the first chapter of a long-term partnership between Ganni and Levi’s, start at £40 for a one-week rental, and each piece can be rented for up to three-weeks. Items, which are shipped in reusable packaging, can be returned for free – they’ll even sort the (eco-friendly, naturally) dry-cleaning for you. It won’t be available until the end of the month, but you can register your interest now at the Ganni Repeat website.
The collection, entitled ‘Love Letters’, chimes with the collaborative spirit that is sweeping the fashion industry right now. This is all about sharing, rather than owning. It’s this democratic Danish design ethos that has helped make Ganni into the power player it is today – from the sweet-spot pricing to the global #GanniGirls collective (friends and real life #GanniGirls like the stylist Victoria Sekrier and artist Phoebe Collings-James have been picked to front the campaign) and the fun yet functional designs (the Ganni x Levis pieces come with detachable collars and adjustable waistbands, giving them added versatility that only ups their appeal).
Ethical advantages aside, there are myriad reasons to embrace the joy of clothing rental services – which are only increasing in popularity - from the liberating feeling of trying out new styles you might not feel ready to commit to actually buying, to the fact that they won’t clog up your overstuffed wardrobe in the meantime. And if you’re still shackled to a desire to only own and wear new pieces? Consider yet another benefit to renting your jeans – as creative director Ditte Reffstrup puts it: ‘The beauty of good denim is it just gets better over time’.
SEE: The Best Fashion Rental And Second Hand Shopping Destinations
1 of 12Sign Of The Times
With more and more importance placed on shopping sustainably, if you're looking to buy and sell preloved designer clothing, bags, shoes and accessories, check out SOTT.
2 of 12DCEY
DCEY encourages customers to rent, mindfully shop and have access to environmentally sustainable products. Browse hundreds of styles from international brands such as Cult Gaia, Staud and Coperni.
3 of 12NTH Collective
An online community where users can buy and sell high quality pre-loved items. Unlike buying new sustainable clothing or renting new pieces of clothing for a night, the NTH collective lets customers buy and sell existing premium clothes, significantly reducing carbon, water and waste footprints as well as negative societal impacts.
4 of 12Hurr Collective
The UK's first peer-to-peer wardrobe rental platform. HURR COLLECTIVE is for members to rent and lend their wardrobes, making economic and environmental sense. From Chanel to Uterqüe, there's something for every price range.
5 of 12Endless Wardrobe
Rent, Wear, Return. ENDLESS WARDROBE allows you to tailor your rental time. Choose from a 4, 10 or 16-day rental period. And, for anyone that's a bit clumsy, amazingly, you won't be charged for damage or stains. Red wine is your friend again.
6 of 12Bagbutler
Take the first step towards sustainable fashion. Bagbutler specialises in handbags and accessories, giving you the opportunity to rent everything from Chanel bags to Dior jewellery.
7 of 12Rotaro
Rent, Reduce, Repeat. ROTARO's carefully curated selection of contemporary luxury designers work for multiple occasions, work events, holidays or as a platform to discover new brands... Designers include: Rixo, Ganni, Reformation, Cult Gaia, Cecilie Bahnsen and Stine Goya, with weekly product drops. Items cost between £15 for a 4 day loan and £80 for a 12 day period, with the option to extend. ROTARO also offer a try at home service, where you can choose two dresses and return the one you don't wear.
8 of 12FRONT ROW
#SeeItLoveItRentIt. FRONT ROW'S mission is to provide a lifestyle service that eliminates the age - old question "Will I ever wear this again?" Featuring up-and-comers and established favourites including Chanel, Fendi, Jenny Packham, Roland Mouret. FRONT ROW offer a rental period of five days, however this can be tailored to your needs.
9 of 12My WardrobeHQ
Buy less, buy better, rent it out. MY WARDROBE HQ is a social community for buying, selling and renting designer items. Customers can shop womenswear clothing and accessories from the wardrobes of Poppy and Chloe Delevingne, Olivia Buckingham, Arizona Muse, as well as fashion stylists and influencers.
10 of 12Onloan
Cool clothes on subscription. ONLOAN was created by two girlfriends, with a shared mission to reduce waste, curate brilliant independent designers and reignite a love of clothes without the guilt.
11 of 12By Rotation
Rotate your wardrobe at your fingertips. BY ROTATION is the UK's first and only peer-to-peer fashion rental app. No subscription fee and no waiting list. Do good for the planet, your wardrobe and wallet at the same time.
12 of 12Hirestreet
Own your style. Not your outfit. HIRESTREET might be a new rental platform, but it's already made a significant mark on sustainable premium fashion. The brand is conscious of building a community and empowering women is echoed in its broad range of sizes.