A shocking experience on her honeymoon inspired听Eshita Kabra-Davies听迟辞听found a business which is looking to shake up the fashion industry.
Kabra-Davies听飞补蝉听working in investment management听last spring when she and her new husband took the trip which would prompt a massive career shift and ultimately lead to app By Rotation.听
鈥淚 grew up in Singapore听but听hadn鈥檛 been back to my motherland, India, for many years. My听husband听–听who听is English听–听and I planned a trip听there听for our honeymoon,鈥�听she tells听老九品茶Cloud.听
鈥�In Rajasthan,听we noticed there was a lot of textile waste.听We saw animals, including pigs and even cows 鈥� which are sacred to me as a Hindu 鈥� feeding on this waste.鈥�听
The听scene听Kabra-Davies听describes took place听well away from the well-documented landfills of Delhi. It had a lasting impact.听
鈥�I felt like I was part of the problem:听I听had bought several听outfits for the听honeymoon听and听wasn鈥檛 sure I was going to wear them听again,鈥� she admits.听鈥�We as consumers听are half to blame for听how polluting the听fashion听industry is.鈥�听
Kabra-Davies‘ idea was for a fashion rental platform where people could share premium items and recoup some of the purchase cost while听helping听reduce听the听number听of garments manufactured听and听consequently听the听impact upon the听environment.听
鈥淲hen I got back, I hosted a Facebook event with my friends to gauge their opinion 鈥� and began working on the business from there,鈥� she continues.听听
鈥淚t鈥檚 a sort of Airbnb for fashion, allowing people to share the high-quality clothing they have invested in with each other.听The aim is to make designer fashion more democratic: instead of buying a Zara dress for 拢40 and wearing it once, they can rent, say, a Reformation dress for 拢30 for the weekend.听听
鈥淚 hope we can convince people that you don’t need to turn to fast fashion every time you have a whim or a last-minute event.听
鈥淏y Rotation would love to obliterate fast fashion 鈥� or at least persuade them to听improve听their supply chain and听create听products that are more expensive because they听are higher quality.听
鈥淚n doing so, they can help reduce the waste produced by the fashion industry.鈥�听
The owner of an item sets the听daily rate听and minimum rental period, with听By Rotation taking听15% of the听total听fee.听After launching late last year,听the app听already has more than 27,000 users.听
Kabra-Davies has taken inspiration from eCommerce platform Etsy, on which independent听retailers can sell boutique items such as jewellery, clothing, toys and art.听听听
鈥�After听speaking to early investors and Etsy听鈥� a platform听I completely love听鈥� I understand that听a marketplace takes a while to build up,鈥� she explains.听听
鈥�So听while I might acquire the 27,000+听users this year听鈥� and听COVID听means听there might not be a lot of people renting听鈥撎�they‘ll build up over time.听
鈥淥ur customers might听experiment with using听By听Rotation听once听in the first year. They鈥檒l听have a good experience听then,听in the second year, they’ll use it two times or four times.听听
鈥�奥别鈥檒濒听eventually听have more and more听鈥�super–users鈥�听on the platform.听We do have a few super–users already;听but obviously, it’s something we want to continue increasing. Engagement is everything.鈥�听
Kabra-Davies听is also keen to educate users听on the positive effect they are having on the planet,听having听launched听an Impact Scale within the app on Earth Day in April this year.听
鈥�If you can entice people from having good price points, that’s where you can start educating them,鈥� she says.听听
鈥�When听you’re checking out, it tells you the positive savings that you’re making by renting an item rather than buying it.听People will听then听hopefully听start looking more and more into听sustainability and how they can have an impact.鈥�