S02 Episode 56 | STYLE LEND + THE ONLINE FASHION RENTAL MARKET

In episode 56, Kestrel welcomes on Lona Alia, founder and CEO of Style Lend, an online marketplace that hosts hundreds of designer styles that users can rent for a fraction of the cost and return after a week's time. Called the "AirBnB for clothes" by TechCrunch, Style Lend is working on shaking up the online rental fashion scene by giving women access to other women's impressive closets. In this chat, Kestrel asks Lona how she addresses the difficulties of having enough inventory for renters, given that peer-to-peer models often pose a struggle in creating enough supply for the demand. In addition, she questions whether rental sites will embrace more sustainable brands down the line, being that the majority of them are built on offering "luxury, name brands" at a reduced rate for renters. Kestrel and Lona discuss the concept of buying clothing for longevity, not only for its quality, but also for its resell value.