The kimono come in a variety of colors and styles designed for a wide range of ages.

In a country where you can rent a boyfriend or even a family, it almost seems blasé to speak of something as simple as renting clothing. But such services indeed exist, and now Rcawaii, one such company focused on bringing cute western fashions to the public with unlimited rentals and personal style coordinators attached, is offering a decidedly fresh take on the subject.

Rcawaii is now partnering with established kimono shop Iseya Gofukuten, which is celebrating 100 years in business in 2019, to bring kimono into their existent rental plans based on customer feedback.

▼ Rcawaii’s new year’s greeting showcasing some of their stylish kimono

While fashion rental companies tend to cater to the younger crowd, this new offering by Rcawaii is a little different. In fact, the kimono offered through the service have been specifically selected to represent a variety of colors and patterns designed to appeal to both young and mature women. Whether you’re looking to appear cute or refined, they’ve got you covered.

▼ Which of the following kimono suits your taste?

On top of that, as anyone who’s tried on a kimono can vouch, matching an obi (sash) to your chosen design can be a bit tricky, not to mention the act of putting the whole ensemble on. To help on that end, the rental service is offering the package in a neatly gathered set of 13 pieces to eliminate any coordination worries: the kimono itself, a nagajuban (kimono liner robe), an obi, three koshihimo (cords tied around the waist before fastening the obi), two datejime (fabric belts worn under the obi), obiita (stiff fabric worn under the obi to shape it), zori (sandals), tabi (split-toe socks for coupling with zori), erishin (stiff fabric strip for the inside the collar), and a korin belt (adjustable rubber belt). With that many accessories and perhaps a few YouTube self-help videos, you should have everything at your fingertips to create a chic yet traditional look.

There are four subplans under Rcawaii’s basic “borrow-it-as-many-times-as-you-want” rental concept. The most basic one, the “Try-it-out plan,” costs a fixed monthly fee of 9,980 yen (US$90) and includes up to 12 pieces of clothing per month (three pieces per shipping) with unlimited substitutions. Better yet, there’s no need to clean anything before you ship it back–for free–because the company takes care of that.

To celebrate the number of total subscribers recently surpassing 50,000, Rcawaii is also offering a special campaign until February 28: if you sign up for a full year of rental service, you’ll receive two months free. Both current and new subscribers are eligible for this promotion.

▼ Announcing the limited-time campaign

There are plenty of special and ceremonial occasions on which to wear a kimono. But why not branch out and simply go for a walk around town or a bite to eat while dressed in kimono? You may be surprised at how your mood changes when dressed so elegantly.

Source: Rcawaii, PR Times
Top image: Rcawaii
Insert images: PR Times
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