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Vivrelle, a luxury handbag and jewellery rental service, is teaming up with Revolve and its sister site FWRD on a pop-up in New York timed to fashion week.
Opening on Sept. 10 in SoHo, the store also serves as a kickoff for Vivrelle’s new retail growth strategy that includes two to three additional pop-ups in the US over the course of the next year, with the possibility of extending the leases to be permanent storefronts. In June, the startup announced a $62 million series C funding round led by venture capital firm Protagonist.
The collaboration between Vivrelle and Revolve began earlier this year with an AI-powered online tool that recommends products from the online retailer to Vivrelle members based on their monthly selections on the Vivrelle website. The partnership expanded this summer with an initial pop-up in Bridgehampton, which ran from May to September. Since June, more users have joined the platform than it saw in all of 2024, said Blake Geffen, founder and chief executive of the business.
Since it launched in 2018, Vivrelle has stood out in the fashion rental landscape for being one of the only services that offer true luxury accessories and quickly becoming profitable despite the costly reverse logistics that’s often required in operating rental. But Vivrelle has a powerful value proposition that’s particularly relevant at a time when aspirational shoppers are wary of luxury’s sky-high prices; its most common membership costs $140 a month, totalling just under $1,700 a year — a fraction the cost of much of its offering at retail, such as the medium Bottega Veneta Jodie, Alaïa’s “Le Teckel” handbag and vintage Chanels.
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At its new SoHo pop-up, shoppers will be able to buy Vivrelle’s selection of secondhand designer handbags or sign up for its rental service, which starts at $49 per month for its most basic tier and goes up to $339 for its most premium access. Also available for purchase will be apparel from Revolve and FWRD, including pieces by labels such as Sir, Isabel Marant, Leset, LPA and Ser.o.ya.
“The future of retail is all encompassing — it’s retail, it’s resale and it’s rental,” said Wayne Geffen, Blake’s husband and co-founder. “Being able to encompass all three under a singular umbrella is going to be very powerful.”
The two or three future additional locations will not be in partnership with Revolve, though Vivrelle is exploring other potential retail partners, the company said. From these stores, members will also be able to pick up and drop off their monthly orders, as well as to explore other membership perks. Vivrelle offers its users a range of “club perks” such as 10 percent to 30 percent discounts at participating hotels, restaurants and brands. A partnership with the Four Seasons in Houston, for instance, allow hotel guests to borrow from a selection of Vivrelle bags on site for free during their stay.
Online, Vivrelle’s partnership with Revolve will further evolve with the launch Thursday of a fully integrated AI function called Ella AI, a chat bot engineered to help members get dressed for events and everyday life based on their borrowing history and allow them to shop Revolve and FWRD pieces without leaving the Vivrelle website.
“Being able to have that integration of rental and traditional retail is, I think, unique and fun, and it will continuously learn your habits as well,” said Wayne Geffen. “It will take the data from your account, as well as public data about you whether it’s your social [presence] or the publications you follow and curate a look for you.”
In addition to the SoHo pop-up, Vivrelle will continue to operate its 14,000-square-foot showroom in Manhattan, which is only open to members.
Rental services has had a checkered history when it comes to brick-and-mortar expansion. For the most part, these platforms encourage customers to return their rentals via UPS or other parcel shippers. Rent the Runway used to have physical stores for users to browse products and drop off their returns, but shuttered all five locations during the pandemic. At one point, Rent the Runway offered drop-off kiosks at certain WeWork and Nordstrom Local sites, as well as some hotels, but has exited this strategy as well.
For Vivrelle, retail will be not only a means of providing convenience to its existing members but also a vital function of acquiring new customers, said Wayne Geffen.
“The long-term vision for Vivrelle is definitely expanding our physical footprint,” he added. “Ultimately we want to capture the 360 [customer] experience.”
