

Renttherunway.com - Netflix for dresses - raptrex
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/technology/09runway.html?ref=business

======
smanek
I don't get how they get around the fit issue.

Whenever I've been dragged dress shopping, I've never seen a girl try less
than a dozen dresses before finding one that she thinks accentuates the right
things, hangs right, etc.

I would never rent a suit online - I'd rather get a bad suit that was
tailored/fit well than the best suit with a poor fit.

~~~
kyro
In the world or high end fashion, couture, etc, it's almost a constant for
women to be a size 0 or 2. Designers don't make 10 different sizes. They'll
only make 1 or 2 which is enough to fit the type of women who tend to wear
their clothes.

------
physcab
Something like this seems like it could learn something from fast food--keep
the cost of dresses low to attract a broad audience and upsell on all the
accessories. I know several of my friends who pick up those supermarket
magazines to get their latest celebrity fashion (news?) and gossip whatever,
and if there was an ad right next to those pictures "Rent this outfit right
now on RTR"...that would be killer.

~~~
bravura
I think the price point is correct, because the goal is luxury within reach.

If you are going to agonize over what dress you are going to wear to a special
event, under $50 is too little for the whole "experience".

------
huangm
Seems like a great idea, especially since a lot of higher-end dresses that are
worn for special occasions are typically only worn a couple times.

Their average rental period is ~4 days for approximately 10% of retail price,
and they send 2 sizes to you (which somewhat resolves the fit issue).

Small technical gripe: The images on their website are ~300kb and take way too
long to load. They don't seem to have a technical person on the founding team,
but I'm sure they will work such issues out as they get more popular.

------
Shana
Student person- I need this. That is all. You need to look good for certain
things in life. I would be renting like mad because after a while, you know
your size range....

------
ujnubub
This is HN

Once you own a pair of jeans, a black T shirt and either Tevas or hiking boots
(depending on which coast) you are pretty much set.

~~~
mseebach
I, for one, am tired of the stereotype that geeks can't be expected to
maintain a wardrobe of nice clothes, understand what goes with one's
bodyshape, skin-tone and how to mix fits, patterns and colors etc.

------
melsorial
WearTodayGoneTomorrow.com has been doing this for almost a year! WTGT loans
nationally at 5 – 10% retail values, has had amazing reviews from Teen Vogue,
People, InStyle, The Today Show and many more. Items arrive in 2 – 3 days, and
they carry over 125 of the top designers including 3.1 Phillip Lim, Herve
Leger, Matthew Williamson and more. They’re amazing!

------
wglb
I showed this to my wife. She tried to sign up, and is now on a "membership
waiting list". Not good.

~~~
ryanwaggoner
This kind of company has to shell out a lot of money as they scale up, which
means they may not be able to meet initial demand. It's a good problem to
have.

------
callmeed
I actually saw the site on my wife's screen a couple days ago. A lot of her
friends were commenting about it in facebook.

While it's a cool concept, I can't see it being more than a novelty long-term.
Dresses like that aren't worn every day.

~~~
DanielStraight
Dresses like that aren't worn every day by average women, but on average,
women wear dresses like that every day. If that made no sense, what I'm saying
is that given enough women, dresses like that _are_ worn every day by _one_ of
them. Since you can't rent a dress more than once a day anyway, an overall
every day seems like enough. It doesn't matter if everyone wears dresses like
that all the time, only if at all times, _someone_ is wearing a dress like
that.

------
phil_KartMe
I've heard the Rent the Runway team is looking for a full time drupal
developer in NYC. contact me if interested - phil at kartme.com

~~~
phil_KartMe
not sure why my post got downvoted. the opening is for real. founders of Rent
the Runway are good friends.

apologies if this isn't the place for job postings.

