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Little Borrowed Dress is a technology company.
Little Borrowed Dress is an online platform for renting bridesmaid dresses. It provides a curated inventory of designer styles, offering bridal parties elegant attire without the burden of full purchase. Its operational model efficiently manages these collections and facilitates seamless rental, delivery, and return through a specialized e-commerce interface, simplifying event preparations.
Corie Hardee founded Little Borrowed Dress in 2010, driven by the significant expense and inconvenience associated with purchasing bridesmaid attire. Hardee recognized a clear market need for a practical, cost-effective rental solution. Her vision was to alleviate financial burdens and logistical complexities, establishing a streamlined alternative within the traditional wedding industry.
Little Borrowed Dress primarily serves bridesmaids and bridal party members seeking convenient, affordable formal wear for wedding events. The company aims to make high-quality occasion wear broadly accessible and financially viable. It champions a rental economy, striving to transform the conventional dress acquisition model by emphasizing temporary use over ownership for consumers.
Little Borrowed Dress has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round.
Little Borrowed Dress has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Little Borrowed Dress has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Little Borrowed Dress's investors include Anthemis Group, BoxGroup, Gotham Gal Ventures, Immeasurable, Seven Seven Six, Social Starts, Charles Smith, David Tisch, Joanne Wilson, Rett Wallace, Andreessen Horowitz, Terrence Rohan.
Little Borrowed Dress (LBD) is a fashion rental startup specializing in bridesmaid dresses available for rent or purchase, allowing bridesmaids to access designer-quality outfits at a fraction of retail prices without long-term commitment.[3][5][6] Founded around 2012-2013, it initially operated as a New York City-based online boutique designing and manufacturing its own dresses, while a separate Australian counterpart emerged as a Perth-based physical designer dress hire store with over 400-500 garments for events.[1][4][6][7] It serves brides, bridesmaids, and women attending weddings or high-profile events, solving the problem of expensive, one-wear dresses by offering affordable rentals that reduce waste and hassle.[2][3][6]
The company gained early growth through venture funding and media attention, raising $1.25M from investors like Index Ventures and a16z in 2014, positioning it in the rising apparel rental market.[6] Today, it maintains a presence in both online U.S. operations focused on weddings and a boutique model in Australia, dressing thousands for events like AFL awards and TV appearances.[1]
Little Borrowed Dress was launched by entrepreneur Corie Hardee around 2012 as a simple solution to the common pain point of buying expensive bridesmaid dresses for one-time use.[2][6] Hardee's idea stemmed from the wedding industry's high costs, leading to an online platform renting designer-quality dresses manufactured in New York City, with early traction as a "full product ready" startup in the fashion sector.[6][7] By 2013, a West Australian entity was established as a physical designer dress hire and consignment boutique in Perth's Osborne Park, expanding to over 300 garments for women of all sizes.[1][4]
Pivotal moments included securing $1.25M in seed funding in 2014 from prominent VCs, validating its niche in bridesmaid rentals, and building a reputation for high-profile events.[1][6] This dual evolution—from NYC tech-enabled rental service to Australian boutique—highlights adaptability in the rental fashion space.[5]
Little Borrowed Dress rides the apparel rental trend, accelerated by sustainability demands and the sharing economy's rise post-2010s, where consumers favor access over ownership for fashion.[3][6] Timing aligned with VC interest in fashion tech (e.g., 2014 funding amid Rent the Runway's growth), capitalizing on wedding market forces like rising costs and e-commerce normalization.[6] It influences the ecosystem by pioneering bridesmaid-specific rentals, inspiring niche platforms and normalizing circular fashion in events, though it blends tech (online booking) with traditional boutique ops rather than pure SaaS disruption.[1][5]
LBD's hybrid model positions it for expansion in the $1B+ dress rental market, potentially scaling via apps for virtual try-ons or global partnerships amid growing eco-fashion trends.[3][6] Sustainability regulations and Gen Z preferences for rentals could boost momentum, evolving its influence from wedding niche to broader event wear. As rental platforms consolidate, LBD's early funding and track record suggest sustained relevance, tying back to its core promise: stylish access without excess cost.[1][6]
Little Borrowed Dress has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $1.0M Seed in February 2014.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2014 | $1.0M Seed | Anthemis Group, BoxGroup, Gotham Gal Ventures, Immeasurable, Seven Seven Six, Social Starts, Charles Smith, David Tisch, Joanne Wilson, Rett Wallace, Andreessen Horowitz, Terrence Rohan, Launch Capital, Neu Venture Capital, NYC Seed |