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Rent the Runway’s Uphill Battle

This week, shares in the loss-making rental platform fell on their first day of trading. Can the platform convince enough women to try rental fast enough to please investors?
Campaign imagery. Rent the Runway.
Campaign imagery. Rent the Runway.
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BoF PROFESSIONAL

Ahead of its IPO this week, Rent the Runway was a subject of discussion among plenty of working women in New York City. The online rental service has currency with price-conscious fashion fans: there’s undoubtedly value in being able to wear items from brands like Nanushka, Sandy Liang and Jil Sander for a fraction of what it would cost to buy them.

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About the author
Cathaleen Chen
Cathaleen Chen

Cathaleen Chen is Retail Editor at The Business of Fashion. She is based in New York and drives BoF’s coverage of the retail and direct-to-consumer sectors.

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