Though none of the rental companies I spoke with shared figures, all confirmed that they’ve seen a dip in orders and an increase in membership cancellations and pauses since the pandemic first took hold of the U.S. last March. However, by last summer, many customers returned, though it’s unclear whether subscriptions have caught up to pre-pandemic numbers.
, in August. Though the service was in the works prior to March 2020, according to CEO Mariah Chase, research found that the customers still wanted it. “80% of women sizes 14-28 agreed that a clothing rental subscription service would give them the wardrobe flexibility they needed as their lifestyle evolved during uncertain times,” she says.
Some of this pandemic success is due to the communities these companies intentionally built. Armoire launched initiatives like the “digital dressing room,” where members can upload photos of themselves in the rented clothes to a shared feed. Others, like ELOQUII Unlimited, updated their offerings to include styles that are more relevant for at-home life with a loungewear launch in the fall.