Why not rent your wedding attire?
Preloved Dresses BD is a premium fashion platform where people can rent high-end party wear and wedding attires
A wedding is probably the only occasion where you do not hesitate to make a dent on your wallet, especially when it comes to the dresses of the bride, groom or their relatives.
In an era of designer clothes shimmering all around us, everyone wishes to get their hands on one for their special day. But then we also wonder, is it worth spending lakhs on a dress we will most likely only wear for one day?
To put an end to such perplexities comes a one-of-a-kind solution from Preloved Dresses BD, which allows you to enjoy luxury outfits and save money at the same time.
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Established in February 2022, Preloved Dresses is a premium fashion renting platform. Initially, they only sold pre-owned luxurious items all over Bangladesh – such as gorgeous clothes for brides and grooms, bridesmaids and other formal occasions.
However, recently, the venture expanded its service by renting out expensive bridal and groom attires to its customers.
India has similar startups like OhLook, RentACloset, and Flyrobe for renting luxury clothing at reasonable rates. Even in Bangladesh, the idea is not entirely new. If you visit Elephant Road, you will find plenty of shops renting out attires for grooms. Preloved Dress, however, only rents out dresses from luxury clothing lines.
"For our rental service, we follow the standard international procedure. Suppose, we are renting a Sabyasachi Lehenga, which costs 5 lakh rupees. We rent it out for Tk 20,000. The price varies according to the brand, design and material," said Abida Aziz, one of the co-founders of Preloved Dresses BD.
"The rental duration is for four days. People rent such exclusive clothing usually only for their close one's wedding, or their own wedding. To make the process convenient, we use our courier service from start to end," she added.
For any formal get-together, dresses can be rented for Tk 2,000 to Tk 3,000. If you go for luxury attires for weddings, the rent can start from as low as Tk 3,000 to Tk 4,000. For bridal attires, the price can range from Tk 15,000 to Tk 20,000, but prices can vary according to the design of the branded attire.
Apart from the rental charges for extravagant items, they usually make their clients sign a bond and take Tk 40,000 to Tk 50,000 as a safety deposit. After the item is returned, the deposit is returned to the client. If any damage is discovered on the rented product, a charge is deducted from the deposited fund proportionate to the extent of damage.
From saree to sherwani, Preloved Dresses have everything in their collection. They have Bangladeshi couture – such as Sahar Rahman, Sarah Karim and Samara Hyder – in their stock. The Indian designer brands include Manish Malhotra, Sabyasachi, Anita Dongre, and more.
However, as Pakistani elegance is the new hype nowadays, brides and bridesmaids quite often seek Pakistani fashion attire to rent. Which is why they also have Suffuse by Sana Yasir and Mohsin Naveed Ranjha, two of the biggest brands from Pakistan, in their collection.
Although the owners are operating only on Instagram and Facebook, they plan to expand their services soon by launching a user-friendly website, beside a brick-and-mortar store.
As the wedding season is dawning on us, the demand for both rented and pre-owned items is surging. Abida has observed a surge in the sale of preowned bridal attires, while the trend of renting bridesmaid dresses is also on the rise.
When it comes to the items they sell, Preloved Dresses BD only acquires them from a seller after they find a buyer.
"As the items we sell are expensive and come from designer brands, we pick up the dresses only when we find a buyer. Our courier delivery service collects the clothes, then we inspect the dress to see if it meets our quality assurance, and then we deliver that product to the end customer," said Abida. They also have designer bags and shoes for sale.
In the era of sustainable fashion, brides are becoming more conscious about clothing decisions on their big day. Moreover, they are also becoming more open-minded about the concept of renting. In most cases, the dresses remain in the closet forever, stirring the occasional nostalgia. But selling your loved couture dresses holds the power to brighten up another bride's day and can also be a good investment.
If you choose to rent, you have the opportunity to wear high-end designer brands, while saving good money. Now is the time to be progressive and wise with your resources.
"We are not allowed to share clients' information for confidentiality policy, but you would be shocked to see how even the most elite people in town are on our list. The hesitation in buying old clothes or renting has changed, and it will change even more," said Abida.
