[英语阅读]澳洲：Prada可以租来穿

Downturn makes Aussies borrow Prada & Co

在经济危机的大环境下，澳大利亚的时尚名品追随者们开始频繁光顾在线时尚租赁网站，希望用尽量少的钱让自己享用到Prada、LV等大牌名品。据澳洲首家名品租赁网站的创始人称，他们的业务在过去的三个月里急剧增长，经济低潮却给他们的生意创造了奇迹。光顾此类网站的用户表示，现在经济不景气，大家在消费的时候都要慎重；对于喜欢漂亮衣服、又想常换常新的女性来说，这样的名品租赁网站让她们不用花太多钱就能有很多选择。

 

 

Struggling with redundancy or lower salaries, many Australian women are following in the designer footsteps of their American peers and resorting to renting designer clothes and accessories from online websites or buying them second-hand.

Recession-hit fashionistas wanting to look a million dollars without paying so much are keeping up appearances and fuelling a new industry in Australia - online fashion rentals.

Struggling with redundancy or lower salaries, many Australian women are following in the designer footsteps of their American peers and resorting to renting designer clothes and accessories from online websites or buying them second-hand.

"We have experienced a huge growth particularly in the last three months. It seems like the downturn has done wonders for business," said Simonne Santana, founder of Love Me and Leave Me (www.lovemeandleaveme.com), the first and one of the biggest fashion-borrowing websites in Australia.

"We've experienced record membership intakes and rental intakes. It's obviously a trend that people have warmed to," she said, adding the site now has 5,000 members who can also buy used, or new, designer wear at a discount.

The site is one of seven catering to clients that range from students to professionals, and which offer clothes, shoes and handbags from coveted designers such as Prada, Louis Vuitton and Chanel at reasonable rates. A Prada dress which retails for A$1,900 ($1,600) is available for rent on Love Me and Leave Me for A$149.95 ($129) a week or A$249.95 ($215) a month.

"I think in this tough economic time, everyone is having to rethink what they're spending and have to be a little smarter with their money," said Simone Marshall, a shoe store employee and an avid party-goer who, like many women, doesn't like to wear the same dress to more than a few occasions.

"I have quite a designer palate and like having beautiful dresses. Now I can have four for the price of one."

Adele Juniper, a corporate employee, borrows dresses and accessories about nine times a year, for work and social events.

She says renting gives her variety without a hefty price tag.

"I like designer items but they cost a lot to purchase so borrowing allows me change around on a monthly basis or when I have a special event at work," she said.

The recession has also boosted business for Stevie Dellamarta, who launched Indian Giver (www.indiangiver.com.au) earlier this year, specializing in high-end Australian designers including Willow, Kirrily Johnston and Camilla and Marc

Dellamarta credits the hit movie Sex and the City, in which one of the characters admits she borrows all her designer handbags, for exposing Australians to the idea, but says borrowing is not really mainstream yet.

"While I think the borrowing revolution is coming, I don't think it's here yet. I think it's going to be a huge industry in years to come," she said.