Rent the Runway has been a game changer since it launched in 2009. Offering style hounds the chance to try on designer pieces they may not otherwise have access to because of financial limitations (or because of the nonexistent closet space in their New York apartments), the service has also helped promote sustainable fashion. Everybody wins!
Now, home decor devotees can get in on the action, as rent the runway and West Elm have just announced a new partnership that will allow customers to temporarily transform their living rooms and bedrooms. Starting this summer, a chic selection of West Elm home furnishings will be available under the Rent the Runway umbrella.
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This marks the first time West Elm has allowed its merchandise to be rented out, and the first time Rent the Runway has offered items aside from clothes and accessories. RTR users will be able to rent any of the West Elm’s 26 curated “home bundles,” which include pillows, shams, quilts and throws in a variety of prints, styles and materials. The bedroom bundle comes with a quilt, coverlet, sham, decorative pillow and a throw or blanket, while the living room bundle consists of decorative pillows and a throw.
The service won’t cost extra for current RTR users; those already paying for RTR Unlimited ($159 a month) or RTR Update ($89 a month) can rent the bundles as one of their rotating spots. Bonus: Customers who are particularly thrilled with the specific bundle they’ve chosen can keep it for as long as they want (the pieces can eventually even be purchased at a discounted price).
If you happen to be at SXSW in Austin this weekend, you can get a sneak peek at the collab. On March 9, Rent the Runway and West Elm will host a panel, “Living a Rented Life,” and unveil a pop-up in which the 26 bundles will be displayed for the first time.