App News

Dallas couple creates app that lets you rent a dress for a day

Zimmerman is a popular name on the Celeb app.

Zimmerman

There’s always that one item of clothing we wear once and never again — whether it’s a ball gown or party costume. Now a Dallas startup has created an app to address the one-wear-only outfit: Called Celeb, it's a peer-to-peer app launched in August by a Dallas couple who want to make fashion more environmentally-friendly.

Celeb was founded by fashion marketing student Shawna and Jaden Warren; Shawna is an alumna of Baylor's apparel merchandising program, and Jaden is an attorney. Inspiration came when Shawna was in a fashion forecasting class, and one of the assignments was to predict fashion trends for 2024. She predicted rental fashions would be a big thing.

Shawna tried other similar apps such as Fashion Pass and By Rotation that allow people to recycle clothes instead of buy new, but she wasn't pleased with the user experience and wanted something that made the process simpler.

Users can upload items from their closet for other users to rent or buy. Anyone — both men and women — can make an account and upload items.

“We're like the size of a small boutique," Jaden says. "Anyone can upload an item from their closet, anyone else can rent it out, and you can meet up with someone to hand it off."

Celeb is free to join and use. They don't charge fees to create an account, list items, or use their platform. They charge a 20 percent transaction fee on rentals and sales — similar to used clothing sites like Poshmark.

There's a shipping label creation built into the app, so if someone wants it shipped, they can print the label or scan a QR code at the post office. The app also has a courier integrated, so if you're local, you can just have the clothing delivered to you like food.

Some of the designers currently featured on the app include Cult Gaia, Reformation, and Zimmermann.

The app partners with 27 Dresses & Co, a local Dallas company that rents out dresses on the app and offers styling services. According to Jaden, the average price for a dress or outfit is $400 and average rental price is $50.

The app features items that are available nationwide, from California, Florida, and New York. If people love the clothes they rent, they also have the option to buy.

“This allows anyone to wear clothes like a celebrity,” Jaden says. “We want it to be empowering and make people feel good, like celebrities often rent their pieces and then return them right after the gala they attend and they get them delivered to their doorstep. We're giving everyday people that same experience and that same empowerment.”

The app can be found for free on Apple App Store.

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RETAIL WATCH

Texas AG Ken Paxton opens investigation into fast-fashion giant Shein

Photo courtesy of SHEIN

Shein is now under investigation from the Texas Attorney General.

Critics of fast fashion have found a strange bedfellow in Ken Paxton. The Texas Attorney General announced December 1 he would investigate online retailer Shein for alleged unethical labor practices and unsafe consumer products.

According to a release from Paxton’s office, the inquiry aims to find out if Shein’s “supply chain and manufacturing practices violate Texas law by using toxic or hazardous materials, misleading consumers about product safety, and misleading consumers about ethical sourcing.” The probe will also look into the corporation’s data collection and privacy practices.

In a statement, Paxton put a partisan spin on the investigation.

“Safe, non-toxic material and products are another key ingredient to [Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s] Make America Healthy Again movement,” said Paxton in the release. “Any company that cuts corners on labor standards or product safety, especially those operating in foreign nations like China, will be held accountable.”

Paxton’s move unexpectedly aligns the AG with environmental watchdogs. Nonprofit Yale Climate Connections has long sounded the alarm about the Singapore-based e-tailer, calling it one of the world’s biggest polluters. Paxton has long railed against climate change regulations and sued the Biden administration several times to block emissions rules.

The investigation is part of a larger Republican crackdown on Chinese consumer products. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are debating new restrictions on Shenzhen-based aerial drone maker DJI, and Senator Tom Cotton has called for investigations of “Communist Chinese” companies Shein and Temu. The September Texas vape ban specifically banned disposable e-cigarettes manufactured in the country.

In a statement emailed to multiple media outlets, Shein said it would comply with Paxton’s investigation.

“Shein takes these concerns seriously and is fully committed to cooperating,” a spokesperson said. “Our mission — to provide affordable, fashionable products to customers around the world — is underpinned by a dedication to safety, compliance, and respect for human rights.”

The controversy will likely have little effect on Shein’s popularity with Zoomers. The company snagged an estimated $38 billion in sales in 2024 and has an average of 24.7 million active app users each month.

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