Advertisement

Why Ganni doesn't want you to buy its new collection

Victoria Sekrier and Phoebe Collings-James wearing the new Ganni x Levi's Love Letter collection in London - Clare Shilland
Victoria Sekrier and Phoebe Collings-James wearing the new Ganni x Levi's Love Letter collection in London - Clare Shilland

The buzziest new collection out of Copenhagen fashion week comes with a catch: It’s not for sale.

Ganni, the Danish fashion brand known for its leopard-print dresses and Zoom-winning big-collared shirts, is introducing a rental-only collection in collaboration with Levi’s.

The three upcycled pieces fuse the denim brand’s area of expertise with Ganni’s playful point of view. There’s a two-tone shirt and shirt dress, both featuring Ganni’s ruffled bib collars. And the third style, a pair of patchworked Levi’s 501s, comes with some very Ganni adaptations - namely a double-button fly that lets you choose to wear them with a high-waisted or lower mid-rise fit.

The shirt and jeans (just seen) from the new Ganni collection - Sara Abraham
The shirt and jeans (just seen) from the new Ganni collection - Sara Abraham

While these pieces would ordinarily range in price from £295 to £345, they’re only available to rent. Renters will be able to check the pieces out for one to three weeks, for costs ranging from £40 for one week for the jeans to £65 for the dress. (The price-per-week levels off for longer rentals, so the jeans cost £90 to keep for three weeks.)

It’s the first time either brand has marketed a rental-only collection. They’re calling it the Love Letter capsule collection, based on the idea that like a love letter, these pieces are meant to be shared.

“The beauty of good denim is it just gets better over time,” says Ditte Reffstrup, Ganni's creative director. “This partnership is all about sharing that love for great denim and passing it on…. It’s been such a special and personal process.”

Before widespread Covid-19 lockdowns, fashion rental was hailed as the future of the industry - a way for women to reduce consumption without missing out on trends or newness. The first wave of rental services in the UK, like Onloan, Hurr, My Wardrobe HQ and By Rotation, have been third-party companies, but brands are beginning to test their own in-house rental efforts.

Kimberly Drew and Imani Randolph wearing the collection in New York - Adrienne Racquel
Kimberly Drew and Imani Randolph wearing the collection in New York - Adrienne Racquel

Ganni’s contribution to the field is Ganni Repeat, an initiative that offers brand fans a way to borrow its wares without owning them for good, making more use out of each item produced. Until now available only in Denmark, the Levi’s collaboration represents its splashy expansion to the UK and US.

While sceptics might find the thought of other women wearing their jeans off-putting, here it’s part of the draw. Anyone who rents a Love Letter piece will be able to tap a smart patch on their garment and see dispatches from previous renters. This is clothing as a means for connection.

“[It’s] such a unique and personal experience,” says Karyn Hillman, Levi’s chief product officer, calling the project “something completely new”. Pass it around.

For more news, analysis and advice from The Telegraph's fashion desk, click here to sign up to get our weekly newsletter, straight to your inbox every Friday. Follow our Instagram @Telegraphfashion