* Update: Now located at Shop 7, Tower Place Arcade, Wodonga.
Two friends with a love of fashion are helping women of all ages afford designer outfits.
Nicole Conway and Ange Bradshaw have opened The Hire Room, next to Style Supply Co in High St, Wodonga, where women and teenagers can hire outfits for any occasion to allow everyone to feel the luxury of designer labels with a fraction of the retail price.
The business idea evolved three months ago from a conversation at a basketball tournament their children attended.
The idea was to provide a shopfront where women could try on designer outfits and shop affordably and sustainably.
“A lot of women have been hiring dresses online for a long time, but now they can come in and try them on first,” Mrs Bradshaw said.
“You wonder how many times someone has ordered something from Melbourne, only to put it on and it’s not the correct size for them, or it’s not what they expected.
“Then they have to send it back but they still have their event and the stress of finding something else.”
Customers can expect new looks arriving regularly and brands include many Australian labels, such as Kate Ford, Bec + Bridge, Sue the Label, Ellie Mae, IXIAH and Harper Lu, which is popular with younger women.
"At The Hire Room, we have an extensive selection of designer dresses for any occasion, catering to all women’s shapes and sizes," Mrs Bradshaw said.
"We offer a service to choose an ideal outfit to suit your body shape and advice on how to accessorise and create an individual look that will leave you confident and looking your best."
Prices range from $30 to $70 for an outfit and go upwards of $200 a night, with plans for deb dresses to be added to the collection.
“Some of these dresses are worth a lot of money … we have a Zimmerman dress coming soon,” Mrs Conway said.
“We are excited about this business and we want to cater for all women, so if someone comes in and they can’t find the perfect outfit, we can help source one."
The store will be open by appointment only at this stage.
“We are working to come up with a few hours that we will be open, mainly towards the end of the week because dresses will be in the dry cleaners at the beginning of the week,” Mrs Conway said.
To make an appointment, send a message to the owners on Instagram @the.hireroom or phone Nicole on 0438 419 729 or 0404 875 541.