If you love designer clothes, but can’t afford a new dress for every occasion, then Rent the Runway could be the perfect fit. Founded in November 2009 by two Harvard Business School graduates, the online company rents dresses for just about any occasion from black tie galas to garden parties, cocktails to corporate events. There’s even a category called “this-is-getting-serious date dresses.” If the date goes well, you can rent a dress for your rehearsal dinner, choosing from dozens of designs.
“We want every customer to experience a Cinderella moment,” says associate stylist Alissa Koller, a 23-year-old graduate of Torrey Pines High School and UC Santa Barbara. “That’s the goal here, to make high fashion accessible to everyone.” Working at the company’s 10,000-square-foot Tribeca warehouse, Koller advises customers by phone and online about sizing, styling, and accessories (which the company also offers).
Koller describes clients as “very fashion forward,” whether they’re renting a $3,500 Herve Leger “Black Abyss” gown for $350 or a $298 Lilly Pulitzer sundress for $40. And with an inventory of 25,000 dresses, there’s plenty to choose from, what Koller calls “the largest closet in the whole world.” (800/509-0842, www.renttherunway.com) ANDREA NAVERSEN
