Buying kids expensive clothes is a no-no for most parents. After all, they usually grow out of them pretty quickly. But a new crop of subscription-based services is helping make dressing kids both easy and affordable.
Earlier this month, clothing rental site rent the runway announced its Rent the Runway Kids venture, an extension of the rapidly growing startup that recently became valued at a billion dollars. According to the company, RTR Kids will be included in “members’ current monthly subscription services, providing access to hundreds of sought-after brands at a fraction of the cost.”
Subscribe to Observer’s Business Newsletter
The offerings will feature high-end designs for little fashionistas everywhere, including luxury brands like Chloé, Fendi, Stella McCartney and Little Marc Jacobs, among others. For the launch of RTR kids this week, sizes will include Girls 3Y to 10/12Y, which encourages “mommy and me” outfit rentals for members with children.
On the other end of the designer spectrum is Walmart’s similar new service, which the company announced today. This version of a kid-friendly clothing subscription service is designed for busy parents looking for curated affordable clothes for their kids. The membership will be offered via a partnership with Kidbox, which will send parents a monthly box of four to five “handpicked premium items” they can choose to keep or return. It’s easy to imagine that for busy moms, the ability to dress picky kids via an at-home-try-on program can be a saving grace. Not to mention the convenience of a digital auto-renewal, which can help avoid multiple trips to the mall.
Walmart (WMT)’s children’s boxes will cost $48, giving parents a 50 percent discount on the value of items inside, the company says. This will also mark the first curated apparel box the retail giant is offering, as it doesn’t currently have an adult version of the service.
Subscription boxes that come with recurring memberships are currently having a big boom, so it’s no surprise that brands are looking to extend their offerings to include monthly items for children. The e-commerce industry has reportedly carved out a $2.6 billion market, which has launched what’s being called “subscription box wars” among online brands.
