For the first time, Belgian consumers can rent restored designer handbags. Fashion rental platform Dressr, in collaboration with the Ghent-based restoration studio HoiHoi, is launching a new category that brings vintage pieces from luxury brands back into circulation.
Circular luxury
Dressr and HoiHoi combine two links in the value chain: restoration and distribution. HoiHoi selects and restores the bags, while Dressr brings them to consumers via a rental model. The selection includes pieces from brands such as Celine, Gucci, Fendi, Prada, Delvaux, Chloé, and Louis Vuitton. Customers can keep the handbags for ten days, starting at 52 euros. Afterward, they can return the item or purchase it.
After all, the high entry price of luxury goods remains a significant barrier. Even on the secondhand market, prices rise quickly. Now everyone can “temporarily enjoy something exceptional, without the purchase, without the storage, without the guilt,” emphasizes Dressr founder Caroline Cecile Baeten.
Access over ownership
Moreover, the collaboration stands out through its combination of restoration and rotation: while the secondhand market focuses on resale, this model aims to actively circulate products. “Many of the most beautiful designer pieces already exist. By professionally restoring them and making them accessible again through rental, they can once again become an active part of a wardrobe,” says Baeten.
At the same time, the model aligns with the rise of conscious consumption. Instead of prioritizing ownership, the focus shifts to temporary use. This fits within the broader “no-buy” trend, in which consumers want to buy less but continue to seek quality. Are Hoihoi and Dressr taking the first step toward what could become a broader category?
