Where To Borrow Clothes For Photoshoots

One of the most common questions aspiring stylists have when they're trying to build their portfolio is WHERE on Earth can they find designer clothes to borrow? We've got the answer for you. There are actually several places where you can find clothes to borrow for your projects:

PR Showrooms

PR's are places that a house a variety of brands under one roof. Designers are represented by the PR (Public Relations) who promote their products (clothing, shoes, accessories, depending on the showroom) and let stylists borrow these items in exchange for...well you guessed it-publicity! This means the designer gets their item featured and credited in a glossy magazine or nowadays it's more common that the designer wants a tag on social media.

Direct from designers

Why not go straight to the source of the clothing? There are designers in every city that would love to get their clothing featured on models and celebrities in exchange for beautiful photos and credits.

Stores/ Studio Services

Before styling as a career was so popular, stylists used to be able to get away with borrowing then returning a bunch of clothes to stores. Now? Not so much. That's where studio service comes in to play. Studio services lets you borrow all the clothes your little heart desires from some of your favorite stores (Nordstrom, Topshop, Bloomingdales, Macy's, to name a few). The only catch is you have to pay a percentage or a restocking fee upon return. Usually, it is around 20-25% so if you borrow $1500 worth of clothes, you will be charged a percentage of that (and get to keep the items of your choice that add up to that %. 

Now that you know where to go, it’s time to build your contact list with the hottest showrooms. Whether you’re in LA or New York, we’ve got you covered with our Blackbook Of Showroom Contacts. Each edition features the top showrooms in Los Angeles and New York along with all contact info, photos of what to expect in each showroom as well as Studio Services contacts. No need to rack your brain figuring out where to go for your next shoot, grab your copy here and get 25% off with code “FME25”. Happy pulling!