Borrow or steal, it's still a rip-off
Couture Critic
Lindsay Turner
Issue date: 3/28/07 Section: Life & Style
Eavesdropping on gossip-filled conversations can sometimes end badly, but other times it can be very enlightening.
A few months ago, I was sitting in class when I learned of a Web site for a handbag and jewelry rental service. Before looking into it, I imagined it was a pretty good idea for young fashion lovers like me who couldn't afford their longtime coveted Chanel Classic 2.55 quilted bag.
With a membership, which includes a fee starting at $5 a month, users could keep up with the latest trends by switching purses monthly or weekly and look as though they had the money to buy a new $1,400 purse anytime they had a whim. "Keep your bag or gem for as long as you like - a week, a month or longer - then exchange it for something new," according to the site. The people these members would be trying to impress wouldn't know the "owners" were renting the purses.
Sounds like a cool plan. The New York Times even called this service "a Netflix for bags."
Being more than curious, I checked out the Web site.
BagBorrowOrSteal.com offers more than 90 designer brands, which members or guests of the site can rent for a weekly or monthly fee. For instance, the bag of my dreams, Chanel's 2.55 purse, costs $95 a week or $175 a month for members of the site and $120 a week or $315 a month for nonmembers.
This is outrageous. The purse itself costs $1,600, very expensive by all standards. Unless you have been saving for it or have the income to afford it, it's wiser to purchase this classic couture than to rent one.
My reasoning is simple. If you were to rent this bag for let's say three months, because, come on, how often do you change purses unless you are specifically trying to match an outfit? As a member of the site, it would run you $525. That is about one-third of the price of the Chanel bag. If you have the money to rent that purse for three months, you should just save for a total of nine months and buy the bag outright. Otherwise, you are going to waste a horrendous amount of cash.
A few months ago, I was sitting in class when I learned of a Web site for a handbag and jewelry rental service. Before looking into it, I imagined it was a pretty good idea for young fashion lovers like me who couldn't afford their longtime coveted Chanel Classic 2.55 quilted bag.
With a membership, which includes a fee starting at $5 a month, users could keep up with the latest trends by switching purses monthly or weekly and look as though they had the money to buy a new $1,400 purse anytime they had a whim. "Keep your bag or gem for as long as you like - a week, a month or longer - then exchange it for something new," according to the site. The people these members would be trying to impress wouldn't know the "owners" were renting the purses.
Sounds like a cool plan. The New York Times even called this service "a Netflix for bags."
Being more than curious, I checked out the Web site.
BagBorrowOrSteal.com offers more than 90 designer brands, which members or guests of the site can rent for a weekly or monthly fee. For instance, the bag of my dreams, Chanel's 2.55 purse, costs $95 a week or $175 a month for members of the site and $120 a week or $315 a month for nonmembers.
This is outrageous. The purse itself costs $1,600, very expensive by all standards. Unless you have been saving for it or have the income to afford it, it's wiser to purchase this classic couture than to rent one.
My reasoning is simple. If you were to rent this bag for let's say three months, because, come on, how often do you change purses unless you are specifically trying to match an outfit? As a member of the site, it would run you $525. That is about one-third of the price of the Chanel bag. If you have the money to rent that purse for three months, you should just save for a total of nine months and buy the bag outright. Otherwise, you are going to waste a horrendous amount of cash.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 4
Bag sucks
posted 4/03/07 @ 9:04 PM CST
Bag borrow or steal sucks!!! Before you can rent they do a credit check and then say YOU NEED PERFECT CREDIT TO RENT AN ITEM HERE whatever my a** dont do business with this low class crap company!
Michelle
posted 9/16/08 @ 12:06 AM CST
I really appreciate you posting this. I have been telling this to people for months, but now maybe they will read this and see for themselves. I am majoring in fashion design and eshetics. (Continued…)
Ijaz
posted 3/10/09 @ 9:09 PM CST
Ladies, Ladies, Ladies,
DO NOT Borrow their Bags, THEY ARE SO AFRAID YOU MIGHT STEAL THEM SO THEY TAKE FROM YOU FIRST!!!!
Yes they do have a statement somewhere about a credit check but they are so desperate to get a sell that they Debited a sign on fee of $9. (Continued…)
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