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§ Private Profile · 3 Chandos St, London, Greater London, W1G 9DH, United Kingdom
Peer-to-peer fashion rental platform connecting style-conscious individuals for sustainable access to designer clothes and circular fashion.
Based in London, England, By Rotation operates a peer-to-peer fashion rental platform that allows users to lend and rent designer clothing without requiring the company to hold inventory. The enterprise utilizes a commission-based business model where individual renters and lenders determine the pricing for each transaction, avoiding standard subscription fees. The platform serves a consumer base across the United Kingdom and the United States, reaching a scale of over 200,000 registered users. Despite broader retail market challenges during the global pandemic, the organization expanded its user base and active listings by more than 350% throughout 2020. To support this growth, the firm offers optional wardrobe management services encompassing listing, cleaning, and logistics while continuously investing in application technology to enhance social features and user trust. By Rotation was founded in October 2019 by Eshita Kabra-Davies.
By Rotation has raised $6.5M across 2 funding rounds.
By Rotation has raised $6.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
By Rotation has raised $6.5M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $3.5M Other Equity in August 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2024 | $3.5M Venture Round | — | — | Announced |
| Mar 1, 2022 | $3M Seed | Redrice Ventures | Cherry Ventures, Closed Loop Partners | Announced |
By Rotation has raised $6.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
By Rotation's investors include Redrice Ventures, Cherry Ventures, Closed Loop Partners.
# By Rotation: A Technology-Enabled Fashion Platform
By Rotation is a peer-to-peer fashion rental platform that functions as a technology company enabling circular fashion consumption[1][2]. Founded in October 2019 by Eshita Kabra-Davies, the company operates as a community-powered marketplace where users can rent designer fashion at a fraction of retail price or lend items from their own wardrobes[1][2].
The platform solves a fundamental problem in fashion consumption: the desire for variety and access to designer pieces without the environmental and financial burden of constant purchasing. By Rotation serves style-conscious consumers seeking affordability and sustainability, while simultaneously empowering lenders to monetize underutilized wardrobe items[2]. The company has demonstrated strong growth momentum, expanding its user base by over 350% in 2020 despite pandemic-related challenges, and now operates across both the UK and US with over 200,000 users[2][5].
Eshita Kabra-Davies, a first-time founder and outsider to the fashion industry, launched By Rotation with a mission to transform fashion consumption for good[1]. As a "third culture kid" and global citizen, Kabra-Davies was motivated by values of inclusivity, diversity, and sustainability—principles that shaped the platform's design from inception[1].
The company emerged at a pivotal moment when rental was beginning to gain legitimacy as an alternative to traditional retail consumption[2]. Early traction was significant: despite launching during a period of economic uncertainty, By Rotation grew substantially in its first year of operation, demonstrating strong product-market fit within the sustainability-conscious consumer segment[2].
By Rotation operates at the intersection of three major trends: the circular economy movement, the rise of peer-to-peer platforms, and sustainability-driven consumer behavior. The company is part of a broader shift away from linear "buy-and-discard" fashion consumption toward shared ownership models[2].
The timing is critical: as environmental awareness grows and younger consumers prioritize sustainability, rental has achieved legitimacy alongside resale as a mainstream fashion consumption method[2]. By Rotation's technology infrastructure—secure messaging, logistics coordination, and payment systems—enables this shift at scale. The platform's approach also influences the broader ecosystem by demonstrating that fashion companies can build sustainable business models without relying on subscription fees or traditional inventory ownership[1][2].
By Rotation is positioned as a cultural movement as much as a technology platform, with 200,000 Instagram followers reflecting its resonance beyond transactional users[4]. The company's expansion into physical pop-up spaces represents a sophisticated omnichannel strategy, using brick-and-mortar presence to drive adoption of its digital ecosystem[4].
The primary challenge ahead remains logistics and trust—the company must continue refining its technology to make peer-to-peer fashion rental as frictionless as traditional e-commerce[2]. As sustainability becomes a competitive requirement rather than a differentiator, By Rotation's ability to scale operations globally while maintaining community values will determine whether it becomes the "Airbnb of designer fashion" or remains a niche player[5]. The company's future likely depends on solving the last-mile logistics problem and building sufficient network effects to make the platform indispensable for both lenders and renters.