The Rise of Experiential Fashion:
Why Consumers Are Choosing Experience Over Ownership
Photo by Sharmaine Monticalbo
Today’s consumers are challenging long-held ideas of ownership and the ripple effects are redefining how we think about fashion. Increasingly, people are spending more on experiences and less on ownership, reshaping everything from how they travel to how they dress. According to Mintel’s Trend Ownership Evolution, younger consumers are at the forefront of this change, embracing temporary access models and ethical consumption habits that challenge the very idea of ownership. For them, flexibility, freedom, and values matter more than accumulating stuff.
This shift is not happening in a vacuum. It mirrors broader changes in consumer behavior across categories, particularly in travel and tourism, where experiences have become the new luxury. In 2024, global event tourism was valued at $1.63 trillion, with strong growth expected over the next decade. According to Mintel, 84% of consumers plan to vacation this year, and 74% of travelers plan trips around live events such as concerts, festivals, and sports. Travel spending is becoming a priority: 56% of financial planners say they’ll increase their travel budgets, putting it just behind saving for short- and long-term goals. The message is clear: consumers are investing in experiences that create memories, not things that collect dust.
But what people wear during these experiences is becoming just as important as the event itself.
From destination weddings and curated “friendcations” to music festivals and birthday trips, wardrobes are now built around specific moments. These moments demand outfits that are intentional, expressive, and occasion-specific, even if they’re only worn once. This growing behavior marks the emergence of experiential fashion, a term that describes the act of buying or renting clothing for the sake of a singular event. It's fashion as a feeling, a snapshot, a memory—not necessarily a long-term relationship.
However, this approach to fashion comes with serious consequences. Many of these event-specific outfits are made from synthetic materials and inexpensive blends that don’t decompose easily. According to an article written by the Boston University School of Public Health, 66% of discarded textiles in the U.S. go to landfills, and some fabrics take hundres of years to break down. Even among those items that are theoretically “recycled,” only 15% are actually reclaimed, with many shipped abroad to landfills in the Global South. As experiential fashion becomes more mainstream, we must ask: how can we participate in these moments without contributing to long-term waste?
Photo by EcoAge
The answer lies in reframing access and rethinking how we engage with fashion in the same way we’ve reimagined transportation, hospitality, and home decor.
We already rent wedding venues, chairs, floral arrangements, and photo booths for one-day occasions. Why should fashion be any different? A $500 dress worn once, then forgotten, can instead be a high-quality piece worn dozens of times by different people through a rental model. It’s a simple shift, but a powerful one. Rental allows fashion to become part of the experience—without becoming a problem afterward.
Just like event planning, fashion is now part of the experience economy. Renting offers a way to enjoy standout style without the environmental guilt or financial burden of buying new. It also satisfies consumers' growing desire for novelty. According to Mintel, one of the biggest drivers of circular fashion adoption is the search for unique, expressive pieces. Rentals allow consumers to access these standout styles affordably and ethically. And they do so with flexibility—another major value for Millennials and Gen Z, who are driving demand for short-term access models across every industry.
Photo by Mart Production
For small fashion retailers, this shift presents an opportunity. Rental doesn't just align with values, it aligns with business needs. Like resale, rental enables garments to generate revenue multiple times. But unlike resale, which depends on consumer participation to resell items, rental gives brands control over inventory, condition, and experience. Pieces can be cleaned, rotated, and tracked, keeping them in circulation longer and increasing their lifetime value. It’s a model with built-in sustainability and built-in customer retention.
As experiential fashion gains traction, rental will become an essential part of how we plan for the moments that matter. From formalwear and statement pieces to vacation looks and seasonal styles, consumers no longer need to choose between looking good and doing good. They can have both, just not forever.
The future of fashion is not about accumulation, it’s about intention. As more consumers move away from permanent ownership and toward shared experiences, rental stands out as a natural next step. It’s cost-effective, environmentally responsible, and perfectly suited to the way we live today.
Fashion has always been a form of self-expression. Now, it can also be a form of participation, something to be experienced, enjoyed, and let go of when the moment has passed.
In that sense, rental doesn’t just support experiential fashion. It unlocks it.
FEATURED POSTS
