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Moss Bros launches subscription service for renting formalwear

Source: Mintel 04-05-2021

Moss Bros has launched a subscription service for renting fomalwear and mens suits. The service called, Moss Box, lets customers rent formalwear from a range of 180 products for £65 a month. Customers also have the option to buy items for up to 50% of the retail price.

The retailer said the launch is a result of COVID-19 which has seen a demand for rental wear as customers moved away from fast fashion and looked for more sustainable options amid store closures.

“Fashion rental options have certainly picked up over the last few years with retailers from Selfridges to Urban Outfitters launching rental services but Moss Bros is now the first menswear retailer to offer a dedicated rental service. The retailer is also using this as an opportunity to build up a reputation outside of formalwear as more people work from home and casual office attire is likely to become more popular even when people do return to the office - data from Mintel'sMenswear - UK, March 2021 Report shows that over two in five (43%) menswear shoppers bought casual clothing for work over the last year and nearly a quarter (23%) anticipate doing so over the next 12 months. Moss Bros also has added the additional subscription element, which 15% of men have taken part in and 18% more would be interested in. However, there remains a question mark over how popular and sustainable fashion rentals truly are, there certainly is a need for fashion retailers to take sustainability seriously and think of alternatives as there is a lot of unwanted clothing ending up in landfill but this is more often an issue with fast fashion rather than the more upmarket brands offered by Moss Bros. Data from Mintel's Fashion & Sustainability - UK, September 2020Report shows that just a quarter (26%) of men have either rented or would be interested in renting fashion items and while rentals certainly work well for special occasions, with this a good alternative to buying a new suit that will only be worn once, it is unlikely to have the same appeal for everyday clothing.”

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