Photos courtesy of Pickle.

Living in New York means last minute nights out and party invites. Oftentimes that leaves people feeling like their closet is a pickle jar they just can’t get out of. Thanks to Julia O’Mara and Brian McMahon you can now rent last minute closets and outfits with the online retail space Pickle. 

Shop the neighbourhood cool girl’s closet

“It’s like Airbnb for your closet!” says co-founder Julia O’Mara. What originally started as a social-polling app has spread into a high-end clothing rental network operating nationwide. O’Mara and McMahon were researching social opinions on what to wear and where to buy it when they discovered that everyone was simply vouching for their own closets and favorite brands. O’ Mara says, “We saw these insights and thought about breaking down the barriers for people to rent, lend, and borrow to and from closets.”  

A sustainable community for eventwear

Now, over the four years of Pickle’s life they have expanded to house 450k+ products in 40k+ closets. NYC based but available nationwide, Pickle has saved $100+ million in retail. With the rise of overconsumption, Pickle is actively building a sustainable community for eventwear. 

On June 24th, the co-founders celebrated the Pickle community with a fashion show, held at the Woolworth Building on the 26th floor, packed with fashion forward girls and guests. 

Featuring the brand’s signature, guests drank pickle dirty martinis as they walked through some of Pickle’s classic archival pieces. Everyone was dressed to impress in rented Pickle looks and the space was packed in the hour before the fashion show.

O’Mara speaks to Pickle’s scrappy beginnings. There was a lot of hand-holding in the early days, and “we were very involved in making sure every early renter had a really amazing experience,” she says. McMahon and O’Mara spent most of those first stages literally running around New York as the first Pickle couriers. Today, the brand integrates technology with Uber and Doordash to provide day of or two-day express shipping and drop off.  

O’Mara recalls this early process and says they learned the most from talking to customers at their doors. “Investing so closely in that rental experience and the early days of the community allowed other people to share about Pickle in their own networks,” she says. It’s clear that community has been the guidepost of the brand all along. 

Pickle isn’t just for renters; fashionistas who have iconic pieces can rent their closets out as well. A safe, easy way to earn money and appreciate your clothes, Pickle is steadily building a widespread circulation of products across the fashion industry. 

O’Mara herself has a few pieces available to rent on the site. Being a direct part of the community she founded enables her to really work with them to curate success. In a business like this the people online and on the platform are who really matter. “I’m very motivated and inspired to continue to make Pickle an amazing experience for everyone. Our community is investing in us and we’re investing right back in them,” she says. 

Pickle’s popularity is evident by the fashion show turnout. Lots of iconic, vintage pieces were among the crowd and everyone was confident in their own style. “We wanted to do something that was a true celebration of the community and the different people who are a part of it,” says O’Mara. When brands like Pickle support individuality and archival in fashion it benefits sustainability and pushes people to discover themselves.

Co-founders O’Mara and McMahon spoke about the history of Pickle and expressed gratitude for the four years of support. Models walked the runway in looks for all occasions. O’Mara says “the best part is being able to see things that are sourced from the community, from the models to the pieces they’re wearing.” Pickle has everything from birthday dresses to Halloween costumes, celebrating the stories of every piece while writing new ones. 

A DJ played live, runway worthy hits and the crowd applauded each and every girl – demonstrating the support and community Pickle is founded on. Different sections of the show featured event looks and trending styles for all scenarios.

Having access to runway-worthy looks that you can wear just once hugely cuts down on fast fashion and waste. O’Mara believes that the secret to a successful brand is pairing sustainability with economic incentive and consumer behavior. Pickle is inherently a very circular platform that makes it easy for people to adopt. She has found the balance between success and sustainability, a dream for any fashion lover. 

A fun-filled evening, the show was just girls supporting girls at its core. The runway sported vintage Pucci and iconic looks worn by celebrities like Zara Larsson. All the runway looks are on Pickle’s Instagram highlights, so be sure to check their socials to join the closet.  

Big sequins, fringe, bondage, and much more is waiting for you this season in Pickle’s virtual closet. You can shop the neighbourhood cool girl’s closet on Pickle, for up to 90% off all looks.