Little could have possibly been predicted that Paula Pimlott, a 38-year-old mother-of-two, would become the first provider on the Hurr platform to make £100, 000 when she began renting out her attire in 2021.
She stock,” I discovered Hurr while taking maternity leave after having my first child.” ” I was looking for a case to book for my post-baby day evening, but ended up renting a BA&SH gown and faux fur coat, also. When I went through the wardrobes of other people, I discovered that one of my own Rixo dresses was performing well for other people, so I thought I’d put [mine ] on Hurr as well.
Hurr, one of the earliest style rental websites in the UK, was founded in 2018 by businessman Victoria Prew. Although the market is much more crowded right now, with businesses like By Rotation and MyWardrobe HQ, Hurr has remained in the lead, providing money directly from companies as well as peer-to-peer.
Her Rixo Gia Tulip costume was often being loaned after Paula uploaded her second rental. She began to research what to purchase and spend hours curating her outfit on social media and in person. She says,” I wanted to spend the funds I was making and develop my clothing to create it.” I started buying because I wanted to be a modern, hectic woman who could use my pieces and ageless dresses to suit anyone, regardless of age.
Saloni green gown, revenues from £79.40 for four weeks, Hurr, Soru rings, prices from £29.44 for four weeks, Hurr
Paula had a wonderful time, not only because she wanted to keep her young son company, but because she also wanted to extend her family’s income.” It would be nice to have a vacation home in Europe one day,” she laughs. She and her father, who is still employed by them, ran a CGI modeling firm as a previous business owner. Despite knowing the dangers, she was willing to gamble. ” It fitted in well with my own interest in fashion, too”, she explains. I had to believe my gut when my friends inquired if I was worried about investing my money in new items.
Paula liked renting as well because she was a novel mother. She stated,” I did n’t want to spend a lot of money on an outfit that might not work for me in a few months.” In fact, some of her brother high-earning loaners are also new moms, doubtful about returning to work post.
Renting clothes is now a business for Paula, so as such, she does n’t actually wear a lot of the stuff she rents, despite it being dubbed her “wardrobe”. She says,” We live in the countryside in Cumbria and embody that life.” ” So I live vicariously through my accommodations”. She chooses to purchase items that she knows her customers may need. ” Most of the clothes do fit me”, she stocks. ” I like to hear that it will make someone feel good and give them confidence.”
Rotate Birger Christensen clothing, revenues from £80.38 for four weeks, Hurr, Jennifer Behr rings, revenues from £45.89 for four weeks, Hurr
Earlier homeowners have raved about how wonderful her items have made them feel. Someone wrote me a message last year telling me that she was crying because things felt right for her and that it was very joyful. She stocks that I enjoy assisting people in creating unique outfits that they can look back on and feel great in.
She searches resale websites and the sales to purchase items during the off-season, but she often pays full price for them. Best now it’s the height of summer, but she’s already looking forward to the Christmas party time, and stocking up on parts for that. And while many lenders may purchase fashionable items like those on Instagram and TikTok, Paula prefers to purchase items that are more amazing and less overt. That’s not to say it has n’t sometimes backfired. She admits,” In my first yr, I invested in some wonderful pieces that gave me a great return, and then some wonderful pieces that I always rented again.”
The angelic nature of Paula’s clothing and the fact that many of her items are a size 14, the UK standard, contribute to her success in large part. ” Most of my clients are women in their 30s, but I have some in their 60s as well”, she stock. Although I do n’t have a model physique, I believe that women will enjoy these pieces. She may also purchase several different dresses, frequently in various sizes. ” I have a Rixo clothing that is very common, so I bought more than one so that it is put under less pressure from wear-to-wear”, she explains.
The Vampire’s Wife clothing, revenues from £134.60 for four weeks, Hurr
Of course, with renting out your wardrobe come inevitable downsides too, and it has n’t all been smooth sailing. She sighs as she recalls that one of her bags was just dumped into the path by the postman, and that another bag had wine stains on it as well. ” It’s a rarity though. It hurts to explain to people that something is irrecoverable. I make an effort to satisfy the client.
A week doesn’t go by without a rental, but she was still blown away when she recently saw her stats. With 1, 300 rent under her belt, Paula’s second stage is to hire an individual to help her with the day-to-day administration, which she admits can be frustrating. ” At the moment my father does the Post Office run”, she laughs. ” And I also do all the laundry. It can be stressful on weeks when I have to give something out on the same day that it arrives back from someone else.
Paula devotes a lot of time to what Paula refers to as customer service, whether that’s requesting a payment or speaking with a product about a defective item.
Hurr’s most recent development is its Flex solution, allowing clients to hire regular luxury items such as Aligne, The Column and Toteme, for up to 30 days, rather than just as occasionwear. So does this imply that Paula’s clothing may get changing? ” I’ve had a few 30-day accommodations and a lot more 8-day rent since Flex launched”, she says. I really like to move up, and I’ve been thinking about adding more formal clothing because I think I have a few different models. It’ll be exciting to see what happens”.
Paula’s irony is that while letting is a more environmentally conscious option, she has found herself in the position of having too many clothes. She is presently considering reducing the size of her collection because her Hurr wardrobe, which she absolutely separates from her regular one, is strewn at the seams. ” I’m trying to sell some items so that I can have less, but better excellent – it’s getting a lot”, she says.