On trial: the £410 dress, rented for £55

We’re in the midst of a thriving retail revolution – from swishing to swapping, Fashion Rental and second-hand shopping – it’s never been easier to switch up our wardrobes, without always buying new.

John Lewis Fashion Rental makes shopping for womenswear more affordable than ever, with a curated selection of clothing available to rent for up to 30 days.

1. Book

Create an account, select an item and rental dates, then place your order. (I opted for the O Pioneers Tania Dress).

2. Wear

Your order will arrive in a reusable garment bag with a returns label included.

3. Return

Once the rental period is over, return the item using the label provided. It’s then professionally dry-cleaned, ready for the next rental.

1. Fuss-free – Fashion Rental’s book, wear and return process is so smooth it may ruin other rental experiences for you. Throw in the attention to detail (above) and the whole journey feels as fancy as you’d expect when dabbling in designer wear. Fashion Rental delivers fantastic customer service, offering speedy resolutions to any issues and a 24-hour ‘fit guarantee’ policy.

2. Guilt-free Rental is one way to help solve the fast-fashion problem. It’s not the only answer, of course, but the more we can reshape our shopping habits into something circular, the better. Yes, we could save up for the designer dress, but if it’s something you only want for a few days, why not rent it at a fraction of the cost?

3. Inclusive With rental, it makes sense to offer both designer and mid-premium brands to be accessible to all. Conscious fashion advocate Jasmine Hemsley agrees. ‘John Lewis is the new benchmark for rental fashion,’ she says.

Raising that level of awareness for consumers, it’s like sharing clothes with friends, only now your friend’s got a massive wardrobe.’

How do you return the rental?

John Lewis Rental provides a pre-paid returns label – drop the package off at your local post office on the specified return date, making sure to keep proof of postage with your tracking number.

What is the dry-cleaning process?
All items are dry-cleaned by Oxwash. Their medical-grade technology is typically used in spaceship and hospital sterilisation, and includes 100% PERC-free dry-cleaning solvent and a 250-degree steam tunnel, which eliminates dirt and bacteria from garments.

Can I use John Lewis gift cards to pay for rental orders?
Not currently, no.

Can I rent anything other than just clothes?
Yes, you can rent bags, jewellery and hats, which you’ll find in the accessories section.

See full list of FAQs here.