Diane von Furstenberg shutters rental service

By

Robin Driver

Published
Mar 9, 2021

American luxury brand Diane von Furstenberg confirmed to FashionNetwork.com on Monday that it has deactivated its DVF Link online rental subscription service, explaining that the decision is related to streamlining efforts as the company prioritizes the launch of its new e-commerce platform.

 
Launched in the United States in February 2020, DVF Link offered subscriptions giving users access to hundreds of the brand’s styles for a flat fee of $159 a month.
 
The initiative, which sought to tap into the growing popularity of fashion rental platforms such as Rent the Runway and Le Tote, was implemented through a partnership with “clothing as a service” management company CaaStle, which has also worked with the likes of Ann Taylor, Vince, Rebecca Taylor, and American Eagle.

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“While DVF is an advocate of the subscription model and truly valued our partnership with CaaStle, we deactivated DVF Link as part of the strategy to streamline our operation. Our goal is to focus on the management of intellectual properties and launch of a new dvf.com,” explained a company spokesperson.
 
“As we evolve DVF from a traditional retail operation to a digital business, we are prioritizing our resources. The new DVF will feature a tighter edit of products via a new ecommerce platform and a global community of InCharge women,” added the DVF spokesperson, referencing the title of the female leadership-focused podcast hosted by the house’s eponymous founder.
 
In light of the increased importance of e-commerce driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, DVF joins a number of fashion houses currently readjusting their digital presence in order to stand out in an ever more competitive online market.
 
As DVF deactivates its rental platform, Ralph Lauren recently announced that it is launching its own subscription service for the Lauren Ralph Lauren brand: The Lauren Look. Starting at $125 a month, subscribers to the new service are given access to a rotating range of Lauren apparel, as well as tips from stylists on how to wear the pieces.