Le Tote Allows Fashionistas To Rent Latest Styles Online
CULVER CITY (CBSLA.com) — A new website is becoming the go-to for fashionistas on a budget.
LeTote.com is a subscription-based clothing service that allows women to crowdsource their closets by reusing and sharing outfits. The concept is similar to Rent The Runway and similar e-commerce services, but users can buy products they want to keep at discounted prices.
"I don't have to leave my house, and I get new clothes every week. And I also don't have to wash them, which is fun," Culver City resident and Le Tote subscriber Jasmeet Gill told CBS2/KCAL9's Sharon Tay.
Gill said her job as a brand strategist means she needs to be current on fashion and style. But with other demands on her time and her dreading crowds and malls, Gill said Le Tote is a simple and easy way to introduce new pieces to her look.
Kelly La Mar of Santa Monica also wants to avoid shopping for clothes in stores: "It's just not an experience I enjoy."
Which is what also led her to try Le Tote.
"You share closets with your roommates, your friends, your sisters – we provide that option with clothing," Le Tote's Kristen Benner said. "It gives them the opportunity to try new styles without the commitment of having to purchase."
The company is based in San Francisco and is quickly gaining a loyal online following.
Benner said: "Our members love the ease of shopping from home."
Customers pay $49 a month and receive a box with three clothing and two jewelry items, most of which can be gently worn. As soon as the items are purchased or returned, the company sends a new "tote."
"A few times, they've sent me some really tight-fitting dresses. And I put it on and am like, 'Oh, this actually looks pretty good.' I've kept a few of those," Gill said.
Le Tote says that crowdsourcing your closet is a great way to be green.
"It doesn't feel like I'm receiving the items that other people have worn. They actually smell really nice," La Mar said.
For more information, visit www.LeTote.com.