Famous British department store Harrods is set to launch a fashion rental service, offering borrowed luxury designer items at a fraction of the cost.
The service will offer garments from both couture brands and everyday labels, in a bid to offer its customers what they need in a “more sustainable and conscious way”.
The initiative is being launched in partnership with My Wardrobe HQ (MWHQ), the company that Carrie Johnson, wife of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson hired her wedding dress from, as well as several outfits for June's G7 Summit in Cornwall.
The first edit curated by Harrods for MWHQ includes garments from the likes of The Attico, Zimmermann, Victoria Beckham and Jenny Packham, as well as more casual brands including Ganni, Self Portrait and Rixo.
Prices start from £8 ($11) a day, with garments available to rent for four, seven, 10 or 14-day periods.
“By bringing together our second-to-none product curation and My Wardrobe HQ’s expert rental structure, we are now able to offer our clients a rotating wardrobe of beautiful pieces,” said Harrods’s fashion director Lydia King.
“I am so proud to present the edit that we have curated, a collection of dresses that can be effortlessly styled for any occasion.”
Chair of MWHQ, Jane Shepherdson, described the partnership as “a dream”.
“We look forward to seeing customers enjoying the most exquisite designer pieces in the most sustainable way,” she said.
The global fashion rental industry was valued at $1.26 billion in 2019, according to a Research and Markets’ Global Online Clothing Rental Market report, and is projected to reach $2.08bn by 2025.
Numerous fashion start-ups have entered this space, both globally and regionally.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The National will broadcast live from the IMF on Friday October 13 at 7pm UAE time (3pm GMT) as our Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi moderates a panel on how technology can help growth in MENA.
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Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
The biog
Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.
Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella
Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"
The chef's advice
Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.
“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”
Mr Payne asks for the sticker to be placed directly on each item, rather than face the temptation of filling one of the two-kilogram capacity plastic bags on offer.
The chef also advises singletons not get too hung up on “organic”, particularly high-priced varieties that have been flown in from far-flung locales. Local produce is often grown sustainably, and far cheaper, he says.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
