Amsterdam-based apparel brand Scotch & Soda is launching a new programme enabling rental services for menswear, thereby extending the opportunity of womenswear-exclusive rent-return-refresh trend to the menswear segment.
Called the Scotch Select, the rental programme will be launched in September introducing one of the first men’s subscription rental programme.
Similar programmes for women have been introduced in the past by brands that encompass Ann Taylor, Express, Vince and New York & Co., etc.
The CaaStle technology platform offers these brands, including Scotch & Soda, to power their initiatives.
“With all the new formats and models out there, it’s important to stay on top and keep moving forward,” said Ari Hoffman, Chief Executive Officer of Scotch & Soda North America, adding, “Young people don’t want to own things – that’s the way the world is going.”
He shared that Scotch & Soda works with Rent the Runway for their women’s segment, but this is its first venture into men’s. “It’s become a proven success in women’s, but what about men? They care about fashion just as much today, so we decided to go with it.”
Scotch & Soda’s sales are 62 per cent men’s and 38 per cent women’s.
Hoffman said the brand decided to work with CaaStle instead of doing solo because “one challenging part of the subscription rental model is dry cleaning. Rent the Runway is the world’s largest dry cleaner, but that’s not what we do. This way, CaaStle handles all the cleaning and repairing.”
In this programme, a customer will pay US $ 99 per month, which will enable him to rent up to three items of apparel for a flexible duration as per their wish with shipping and dry-cleaning charges included. They can either buy it or return it to Scotch & Soda to trade the same for something else.
“It’s an easier way to finance their fashion thirst,” Hoffman said.
The service will debut in the US first, going onto Europe, as Hoffman further adds, “We’re keeping our eyes open for Europe as well. We just need to find the right partner there.”
