Rental platforms are rapidly revolutionizing
the fashion industry, changing the narrative of fast fashion and throwaway
culture by shifting consumers away from the idea that it’s cool to wear
something once, snap it for Instagram, and then throw it away.
At the forefront of this
change is Front Row, London’s premier luxury rental service that stocks
everything from vintage Chanel to eclectic Zimmerman – and they even have
the Duchess of Cambridge’s iconic Roland Mouret off-the-shoulder gown she
memorably wore to the Top Gun premiere.
The interview with Shika
Bodani, Founder of Front Row, to chat about the future of sustainable
fashion, what happened when a client rented the same dress as the Duchess of
Cambridge, and how the ‘Kate effect’ has impacted her business, is as follows:
You
stock Duchess Kate’s iconic Roland Mouret dress, have you experienced the ‘Kate
effect’ since she wore it?
“We truly struck gold
when The Duchess of Cambridge wore the Roland Mouret,” says Shika. “The
Duchess actually altered the back of her dress to make it slightly more modest
for her red carpet appearance, whereas we stock the original. But since
she stepped out in it, it’s resulted in such a huge spike for us,” she
continued.
“We’ve had endless rental
enquiries since Kate wore the Roland Mouret, but more so, people just want to
purchase it. She’s such a fashion icon – so it makes sense!”
Platforms like Front Row make
it possible for regular people to dress like royalty, yet for a fraction of the
price. The Duchess’ unforgettable ‘Lamble’ gown retails for £2,700, yet it sits
in Front Row’s archive for a modest £196.
“Funnily enough, we
actually had a client renting it to wear on the red carpet at the Top Gun
premiere,” says Shika. “We sent her multiple dresses to choose from
and she ended up choosing the Roland Mouret. Can you imagine wearing the
same dress at the same time as the Duchess of Cambridge? You’d instantly be
considered a fashion icon. I can’t even imagine what Kate was thinking!
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Front Row’s client wore the same dress as Duchess Kate on the red carpet
“The next day, we had so
many calls from people clarifying whether this was Kate’s exact dress.
“We actually have a
client who’s looking to purchase it and hire a seamstress from the Roland
Mouret team to replace the back in the same way the Duchess did – so it really
is the Kate effect coming into play.”
What
inspired you to start Front Row?
Shika’s rental wardrobe may
boast an impressive archive of royal-approve garments, but it’s not the only
royal connection to her brand.
“When I started Front Row
many moons ago, I actually started it from my own wardrobe. I had just
graduated and was inspired by Meghan Markle’s impeccable wardrobe on Suits –
she looked fantastic on the sho
w in everything, and I started
longing for this glamorous work wardrobe but for a fraction of the price,”
she explains.
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Shika Bodani started Front Row after being inspired by the Duchess of Sussex
“I went on a shopping
spree and started to realize just how unsustainable everything is, not to
mention how storage is a huge issue – so that inspired me to start Front Row. I
initially started it as a clothes swap idea, before it became what it is
today.”
What
would you say to people who view rental fashion as ‘too expensive’?
“Ultimately when you look
at the retail prices compared to the rental, we’re typically renting out our
garments at 10% of the price of the original.
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Roland Mouret Gown, from £196, Front Row
“Of course with luxury
fashion, the prices are much higher. I still think there are so many benefits
to rental fashion, from having your garments dry cleaned and ready to wear, to
not having to source the right storage, to the cost.”
Plus, if it means you might
get the opportunity to dress like the Duchess of Cambridge for the day, we’re
here for it!
