The youth of Hyderabad are becoming daring masters of tradition with a twist! They’re not just fashion-forward, but also eco-warriors, championing thrift shopping, pre-loved clothing, and crowding sustainable pop-ups like there’s no tomorrow. Flyrobe, the rental fashion brand, has heard this stylish battle cry and has opened its first store in Banjara Hills. It is offering curated collections of occasion wear, wedding wear, jewellery, accessories and many lifestyle products on a rental basis so you can access luxury brands without breaking the bank!
We checked out the store which was a fashion wonderland! It had a magnificent display of rental bridal lehengas, ethnic gowns, anarkalis and trail gowns in the womenswear section while suave sherwanis, kurta sets, Indo-western outfits, tuxedos, and an array of accessories fit the menswear category. However, the highlight was the store’s treasure trove of exquisite designer wear ensembles from luxury labels like Sabyasachi, Lalit Dalmia, Abhinav Mishra, and more.
We spoke to Aanchal Saini, CEO of Flyrobe about why she thought of opening a store in the city, “The city has always been very exciting for us. Over the past years, our users from Hyderabad have chosen green fashion and have been early adopters of rentals. As per demand, a physical store was required to enable our visitors to try outfits before renting for their special occasions.” We leisurely browsed through an array of outfits and learnt that the store offers custom fittings. No need to stress about dry cleaning or maintenance because the store has got it covered with doorstep pick-up and drop-off services for convenience.
Telling us more about renting clothing, Aanchal shares, “To qualify for renting, the outfits are required to be of good quality and fabric strength. We welcome ethnic wear rental fashion so western outfits are not onboarded. In womenswear, heavy preloved lehengas, gowns, crop top and skirt and anarkalis are accepted. In menswear, heavy sherwanis are accepted on standard terms and conditions.”
While the pre-loved clothing trend has garnered significant attention, letting users access aspirational brands, Aanchal believes that rental fashion is far more effective on the pocket and has an edge when it comes to making a crucial environmental impact. “When it comes to the comparison between selling pre-loved clothing and renting, the latter has a greater positive impact on the environment. When a garment is sold, it doesn’t get the opportunity to reach its full potential as it is only used by one person but when it is rented, it can be worn by multiple users, reducing the need for manufacturing new products. Financially too, renting an outfit typically costs about 1/10th of the purchase rather than buying it as a pre-loved item at 50 per cent of the purchase.”
Rs. 2,500 upwards. Available at Banjara Hills.
Mail: priyamvada@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @ranapriyamvada