Stylish winter coats, usually too pricey for the ordinary traveller, are more accessible now thanks to the option of renting them, writes Aznim Ruhana Md Yusup.
LOOKING at pictures of winter in temperate countries, the season seems like a magical time. Simple things like breathing in the cold air, playing in the snow and enjoying the heat from a fireplace are all novel activities for people in the tropics and part of the attraction of a winter holiday.
But winter requires special clothing, from thermal undergarments to large bulky coats, and accessories such as hats and gloves. These tend to cost a lot of money and can’t even be used here when the holiday is over. Storing them takes up a lot of space, and they risk being damaged by pests or humidity.
Apart from undergarments, one solution is perhaps to rent these items.
Fashion Library is a new company that rents out winter clothing and it operates from Isetan department stores at The Gardens, Lot 10 and 1 Utama shopping malls. There will also be an outpost at KLCC once Isetan has finished its renovations there.
“Our concept is like a library where you have many books to choose from. So we want to be a library for clothes,” says Fashion Library co-founder Connie Low.
“Choices for winter clothing are limited locally, especially in terms of design. Here we have puffy coats that are casual but also wool coats that are more elegant. They are available for rent, which is more affordable than buying outright.”
Standard rental prices range from RM10 per day for sweaters to RM55 for the more stylish coats. A deposit is required and customers can rent the garments for four to nine days, with free additional days for pickup and return. There is leeway for flight delays.
The coats come ready to be used and customers will only need to return the items as is; Fashion Library will do the dry cleaning. Low adds that it’s perfectly okay to get the clothes dirty but customers will get charged for damage.
One downside is that the company follows a one-size-fits-all convention so it pays to try the coats to see if they zip, button or tie properly before making the decision to rent.
And while men’s wear is available, the choice is not as varied as the women’s.
ASIAN STYLE
Meanwhile, the style of coats and sweaters at Fashion Library are more Asian than European. Coat colours range from pink to baby blue and orange, although subdued choices such as black and olive green are also widely available.
Fake fur vests make for fun styling choices and there are light dresses that are perfect for layering.
Sweaters are thick and heavy, with cute glitter embellishments and fuzzy textures. There are various colourful scarves as well as berets and beanie hats.
“We procure our merchandise from China, Korea and Japan. Some are direct from factories and others from shops or markets. In fact, we’re heading there soon. We want to increase our stock while ensuring that we are up-to-date with the latest style.
“We find European or American winter clothing too simple and not fashionable enough. That’s why we source from this region,” Low says.
Inside the coats are tags that indicate what the item is composed of, whether it is wool, down, cotton or synthetic and if it’s windproof or water-resistant. It will also state what temperatures the coat is suitable for, from a range of 20°C to -20°C.
“This is only a guideline because the cold will depend on other conditions like how strong the wind is. Our staff can advice the customer based on where they are going, as well as other items they might need for warmth including innerwear, gloves and scarves,” says Low.
Understanding that it may be hard for Malaysians to perceive the cold, Fashion Library has a room where customers can try out their garments against the expected winter weather. It’s helpful to have the cold room because it can get very hot trying on the coats on the shop floor or in fitting rooms.
There is also the option to purchase the coats. On the tags are retail prices for each piece, ranging from RM900 to about RM5,000, which are comparable to similar items in the market.
But here, customers can rent the coats first then decide to buy it at the end of the trip if they wish. Otherwise, they can simply return it to the store or arrange for a courier pickup.
“We’ve not had any problems with returns since we opened Fashion Library in August,” says Low. “Not many people are optimistic about us renting out clothes, perhaps because of stereotypes or their personal experience, but we opt to have faith in people.
“We take the customer’s personal details though, including a copy of their MyKad and we will report them if they don’t return the items. These are very expensive merchandise, after all,” Low adds.
CONSCIOUS CHOICES
Apart from winter clothes, Fashion Library also rents out evening gowns and professional office wear. However, these are currently only available at its premises in Kota Damansara.
Low believes that renting clothes and sharing resources is a more environmentally-friendly way of enjoying fashion, and it’s one of the reasons why she started Fashion Library with her sister Elaine.
“When you’re on holiday, it’s normal to take photos and post every day on social media. But if you only have one coat in winter, you will look the same the entire trip. Here, you can choose different coats to wear. And it’s the same if you have many special occasions to attend and you need to dress up.
“In the United States, there is a company called Rent the Runway that offers clothes for rent, and they have been in business for 10 years. So this is the way forward, you can use or wear something but you don’t necessarily have to own it,” says Low.
Meanwhile, Low is also not a fan of fast fashion due to its environmental impact, whether from pollution that it causes or wastage from underutilised stock. She also doesn’t like seeing people buying things just because it’s cheap or on sale when they have no need for them.
“I used to own a shop at Setia City Mall and I have seen customers buying a lot of cheap clothes during a sale even though these weren’t suitable for them. So by renting, the price is still affordable but there is no wastage,” adds Low.