Wherewear aims to build France’s leading peer-to-peer fashion rental community
More lucrative for owners than a conventional second-hand sale and more cost-effective for users than a shopping trip, Wherewear is positioning itself as a leading peer-to-peer fashion rental platform in France. Launched in 2023 by entrepreneurs Victoire Tassin and Yasmine Brunet, the company aims to establish a strong presence in the French market, initially targeting 150,000 female users within 18 months, leveraging the growing interest in circular fashion.
The concept for Wherewear emerged from a personal experience between the two co-founders, who first met eight years ago as product managers during apprenticeships at Printemps. After working together at Ba&sh, Brunet returned to Printemps, while Tassin was in the midst of a recruitment process for Yves Saint Laurent. Brunet lent Tassin a jumpsuit for her interview, which ultimately helped Tassin secure the job. This act of "lending a garment between friends" formed the foundational idea for Wherewear, highlighting the potential for shared wardrobes beyond close personal circles.
The platform, accessible via both website and a recently launched app, offers an interface designed to blend the functionality of a marketplace like Vinted with the booking process of Airbnb. A key component of Wherewear's strategy is fostering a community-centric atmosphere. According to Tassin, profile pages resemble Instagram profiles, and users are encouraged to upload photos of garments being worn in real-life settings to accurately convey the item's appeal and style, strengthening the social network feel.
Wherewear operates on a commission-based business model, taking a percentage from the garment owner. To illustrate the economics, the platform suggests listing a dress purchased new for €250 at a rental price of €40 for a four-day period. The renter covers shipping costs and gains access to designer fashion at a significantly lower price point than buying new. The owner receives €32 after Wherewear's commission, with the potential for repeat earnings. A deposit system is also implemented during rental to protect against potential damages.
Since its launch in June, Wherewear has rapidly grown its inventory to 3,000 items and registered 1,500 customers. The platform boasts strong user engagement, including a 100% repeat rate and an average of five daily sessions per user. Having achieved its initial growth organically, Wherewear is now seeking funding to scale operations. The founders plan to raise between €300,000 and €500,000 to invest in further app development and bolster visibility.
The founders' innovative approach has garnered significant industry recognition. In September of last year, Tassin and Brunet won the IFM Incubator Pitch, receiving a €10,000 prize. The funding was allocated toward visibility campaigns and provided essential exposure to industry figures. In 2024, they joined the La Ruche incubator, which focuses specifically on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) issues. Looking ahead, Wherewear plans to expand its offerings to include menswear and childrenswear, and eventually expand internationally, targeting markets where competition may be less developed than in the UK, home to competitors like By Rotation. By 2026, the company hopes to establish itself as the go-to solution in France, particularly by increasing its reach beyond Paris, where most current rentals take place, and moving away from the common in-person handovers.
