Anyone who’s currently bingeing Ugly Betty on Disney+ (and if you’re not yet, this is your cue to start), all you need to watch is the episode ‘Swag’, when everyone’s going wild fighting over the latest Gucci, to see the power of a quality bag - even on the fashion crowd.
And, whenever Betty carries it on her shoulder, she feels like a million dollars - and who can put a price on that?
Well, unfortunately, in recent years, the high fashion brands can. The cost of luxury bags has grown exponentially. So, instead of needing to apply for a bank loan - or sell an organ - to afford one, why not look at a renting or subscription service instead?
Offering a multitude of bags at a fraction of the price, you can have access to an entire library rather than just wearing the same one every day. Whether you prefer a crossbody, tote or shoulder silhouette, for each event you could be sporting new arm candy that’s sure to garner a multitude of oohs and aahs every time.
Perhaps you’ve got a special birthday on the horizon, you’ve got a couple of holidays abroad in the works or you’re booked and busy for the fast approaching wedding season. Either way, a new accessory is the easiest way to zhuzh up a look with no effort required.
You may have always dreamed of owning a classic Chanel Flap, would rather a cooler Bottega Veneta Cassette or even want to try a timelessly classic Celine Box. Either way, the range available from the likes of Cocoon, By Rotation and Selfridges Rental guarantees you won’t be short of choice.
Our top tip? If you are looking to take the plunge and invest in a bag yourself, this is the best way to try before you buy. Who knows if it’s spacious enough, whether it works with the vast majority of your wardrobe or if the strap sits just right on your body? With a trial run, you’ll find out.
Then, you can still head to the bricks and mortar store to choose the exact colourway you want - and still make the most of the full buying experience, champagne included.
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Cocoon Club
The best of the bunch, Cocoon’s curation of luxury bags is unrivalled on the rental market. From a vaycay-ready basket tote by Loewe to a crystal-encrusted Prada Cleo, all of your bag-related needs will be taken care of by the frontrunner in the field.
The best part? They own the entire collection, so the process is controlled from end-to-end in-house rather than seller-to-buyer. Every time I’ve used the service, I’ve been taken aback by the speed, customer service and ease of use. An all round success.
Membership / Rental
Offering two monthly membership options, you can choose from Premium, for bags valued up to £1500, or Deluxe, for bags valued between £1,500 - £3,500, or if you’d rather not commit, there’s a flexible option, too. Flexi allows you to take home any bag from the entire collection for the week, there’s sure to be an option that suits your life style.
Pricing
Premium membership - £79/month with 1 bag swap, or £201/quarter with 3 bag swaps
Deluxe membership - £99/month with 2 bag swaps, or £238/quarter with 6 bag swaps
Flexi membership - £19/one-time charge
Buy now, Cocoon
By Rotation
A peer-to-peer rental service, By Rotation has an impressive 115 pages of bags to sift through on its website. Whether you’re in the market for a Celine, something more accessible like Ganni or even the hypey affordable label JW Pei, it’s a website that has the breadth of options to suit a range of tastes and budgets.
If you’re unsure what you’re after, you could hold out for the next pop-up event where you can try out a selection of bags in person, instead. Just make sure you follow the Instagram @byrotation or sign up to the mailing list to stay up to date on all of the latest information.
Membership / Rental
There’s no sign up or subscription cost, but there’s a minimum rental period of two or three days depending on the seller - and you can agree the length of time that you need it for too.
Pricing
The starting day rate is totally down to the seller, and can go anywhere from £12 for a Telfar tote to £3,174 for a Hermès Kelly.
Buy now, By Rotation
Selfridges Rental
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll be well aware of the amazing selection of fashion brands available from Selfridges. Well, if the eye-watering price point of the likes of Celine, Prada or Burberry are too much, why not check out the retailer’s rental selection, instead?
With a varied yet small, curated selection, from cult-favourite Jacquemus minis to Chloe’s iconic Woody, you’ll find a bag to suit - whatever the vibe.
Membership / Rental
There’s no membership option. Instead, you can rent on a 4, 8, 10 or 20 day basis.
Pricing
It completely depends on the type of bag you’re after. Starting at £8 for a mini Roop grab bag going all the way up to £159 for a large Acne Studios Msubi, there’s a great range to suit any budget.
Buy now, Selfridges Rental
Hurr
With over 1,500 styles to choose from, Hurr has an extensive range of party bags, daily crossbody options or even holiday totes. Expect brands that span the breadth of the market, from Coach to Gucci, Diesel to Prada, in a multitude of colours and sizes, so all budgets and tastes are taken care of.
Most of them work on a peer-to-peer basis, but there are 250 designs which are managed by the rental service themselves - so, if you’d rather less chance of hiccups in the rental process, check ‘Managed Stock’ in the filters section when you’re browsing.
Membership / Rental
It’s exactly the same as Selfridges. You can rent the bags on a 4, 6, 10 or 20 day basis with no option of membership.
Pricing
The pricing depends on the calibre of bag you want. For example, a Coach Pillow Tabby might set you back £48.30 for a 4-day rental, whilst a Celine bucket bag would be £144.90.
Buy now, Hurr
Bag Butler
Whilst Bag Butler’s bag selection is less vast and aimed at the more traditionally feminine customer, with various versions of the Chanel Flap or Lady Dior on offer, like Cocoon, they control their own stock, so the service is superior to any peer-to-peer setup.
If you’re looking for an evening bag for a big birthday, a special anniversary or a wedding, you should definitely have Bag Butler bookmarked.
Membership / Rental
You’ve got a couple of options to choose from.
Either, you can subscribe to a 3-month seasonal membership, which includes three 4-day rentals, as well as other benefits like 20 per cent discount on accessories or additional handbag rentals.
Or, you can rent individual bags for a minimum of four days on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Pricing
Seasonal Membership - £395 for a 3-month membership that includes three 4-day rentals
Rental - To rent individual bags, the lowest 4-day rental costs start at £60 and the highest is £380 for a classic Chanel Double Flap
Buy now, Bag Butler
