Don’t Buy, Rent - Why H&M Is Hiring Out Fashion

Fast fashion relies on rapid turnover and few retailers have done as much to encourage the adoption of fast fashion as H&M. This week, the Swedish retailer unveils a new concept in its flagship store in Stockholm. Only it isn't selling clothes—it's renting them.

H&M, whose brands include Cos, & Other Stories and Weekday, is introducing a limited collection of some 50 selected party dresses and skirts from H&M's 2012-2019 Conscious Exclusive collections, made from "more" sustainable materials, as well as a small number from this year's collection. Customers will book an appointment with an atelier who will help them select up to three pieces a week, for around 350 SEK ($36) for each item. Once the garment is returned, it's dry-cleaned. A repair and remake counter will also be open for damaged fashion favorites.

This is in part a recognition of growing customer concerns about the fashion industry's impact on the environment. "Fashion is about lust and impulses," admits Anna Gedda, head of sustainability at the H&M Group. "By 2030 there will be 8.5 billion of us. We will need two planets—but that doesn't mean we will all be naked, so the question is how do we make that possible? At the end of the day, we have to change how we enjoy and use fashion."

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