Finding a silver lining in the climate change crisis is admittedly no easy task, but if we had to think of one positive, the abundance of rental platforms – with additional services constantly emerging – changing the fashion industry for the better is something that can only be celebrated, IMO. And, as well as the multitude of dress hire brands plus ski clothes rental services that now exist, there are also dedicated sites that allow you to rent a handbag.
Stocking the most drool-worthy designer names (think Chanel, Bottega Veneta, Loewe and more), it's a fashion girlie's dream scenario. Big name brands on a budget.
Handbags are a very personal accessory. Are you a ‘bring everything and the kitchen sink’ kinda gal? Do you need something that's pretty *and* practical, like a crossbody or a sling bag? Or, do you like to keep up to date with all the latest bag trends and rotate your arm candy seasonally?
As well as being a far more sustainable option, it also allows you to try out your dream designer bag IRL before splashing out the equivalent of three months' rent (in some cases) on a bag you don't know will be worth it or not.
With so many different dress hire services now available, we chose to try out dedicated clothing rental services, specifically:
- Bag Butler
- Cocoon Club
- Selfridges
Scroll through to see what the Cosmo team thought of each bag rental service and how they compared on cost, product range and platform usability.
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Bag Butler
Rented by: Alexandria, Fashion Writer
Bag rented: Chanel Pink Chevron Mini Flap, £175 for four days, bagbutler.co.uk
The deal: BagButler specialises in luxury designer bags. Rent a bag of your choosing for four to 14 days, booked up to six months in advance. There’s also a Seasonal Membership option, giving you three bag rentals across a three-month period for £450, with discounts offered on additional rentals.
The experience: BagButler’s most popular bags are all Chanel, so it seemed like a no-brainer to select a classic Mini Flap bag in a trend-led Barbie-pink hue for a weekend getaway, costing me £175. She arrived carefully packaged in a dust bag and wrapped in tissue, and as I’d ordered on a weekday, shipping was free. The return process was just as straightforward – I received a text reminder and used the prepaid mailer bag I’d received. The £250 deposit I’d paid to cover any damage was refunded to me in full 24 hours later. There is the option to buy, but that is well out of my price range.
Cocoon Club
Rented by: Rebecca, Senior Fashion Editor
Bag rented: Rabanne Sparkle Shoulder Bag, starting from £59 a month with Starter Membership, cocoon.club
The deal: Cocoon is a bag lover’s dream, offering everything from rental memberships to a platform to buy and sell preloved designer bags. Purchase a one-off weekly rental for £19, or tiered monthly memberships for £79 or £99. The deluxe tier gets you access to bags valued up to £3,500 with two free swaps. It has all the brands you could possibly want, too: Bottega Veneta, Christian Dior, Prada, Miu Miu, Louis Vuitton… it’s a treasure trove, tbh.
The experience: This was a last minute saviour. The bag arrived directly to my house on time, perfectly packaged and with a pre-paid returns label. The Rabanne sequins sparkled on the red (or rather blue) carpet, and got me endless compliments all night. The range of party bags to choose from was the only difficult part!
Selfridges Rental
Rented by: Sophie, Bookings Director
Bag rented: Jacquemus Jac Le Bisou, £60 a month with membership, selfridgesrental.com/subscribe
The deal: The iconic department store now offers a rental subscription service that’ll treat you to a monthly designer bag. Ideal for the handbag-obsessed (but indecisive) fashion girlies among us. There’s a three, six or 12-month plan starting at £60 a month for the annual option. You’re also entitled to one swap a month, if 30 days feels like too long a wait for your next rental fix.
The experience: A mix of timeless designers and new names to know, the choice of on-trend bags is lust-worthy. Nab a classic tote from Stella or Acne Studios to spruce up an office ’fit. Or, for me, it’s the plethora of chic shoulder bags – ideal for wedding season – that stood out. From L’alingi, Ganni, Giarité and Coperni I opted for a gorge Jacquemus brown leather number. After a month together, I attached the prepaid label to the reusable zipped bag it arrived in and dropped it at the post office on the return date to unlock my next rental beauty.
Alexandria Dale is the Digital Fashion Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from the celebrity style moments worth knowing about to the latest fashion news, there’s nothing she loves more than finding a high street dupe of a must-have designer item. As well as discovering new brands, she’s passionate about sustainable fashion and establishing the trends that are actually worth investing in. Having worked in fashion journalism for six years, she has experience at both digital and print publications including Glamour and Ok!
Rebecca Jane Hill is the Senior Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan UK. She has previously contributed to publications including Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Refinery29, The Face, Glamour and Stylist. She started her own magazine, Sister, in 2012 whilst at university. Focused around feminism, fashion and culture, it went on to produce 12 globally stocked print issues, as well as countless events and partnerships. She closed the magazine in 2023.
Rebecca has been an associate lecturer at London College of Fashion since 2018, where she teaches on the Fashion Journalism course. She is a passionate second-hand shopper and is constantly on the lookout for new design talent.
Sophie Leen is the Bookings Editor for Cosmopolitan UK and Women's Health UK. She specialises in creating fashion and shopping content across both digital and print platforms, as well as producing all of our fashion editorial photoshoots, which have included our digital cover with Olly Alexander and our curve influencer’s letter to the high street story. Sophie also looks after our Try Before You Train franchise where our team have tested and reviewed over 100 gymwear items.
