On a recent visit to Hauteline, a young woman and her auntie each rented a look. The Lower East Side store on Orchard Street is built for that range: casual women’s wear on one side, party attire on the other and black-tie dresses in the back, with pieces for every size and generation. Everything can be rented or purchased.
Former software engineer Kristie Chow and former investment banker Michelle Li, both Gen Z, launched the business in 2023 as an alternative to what they saw as an “outdated” luxury rental market. Rent the Runway, which popularized designer rentals, runs on subscriptions and closed its stores in 2020. Hauteline rents piece by piece, both in stores and online.
The store also emphasizes emerging, independent brands and vintage pieces. Offerings range from Anna Sui, a Y2K-era favorite, to Marge Sherwood, a viral Seoul-based leather bag company. Chow’s current favorite: a purple corset-back mini-dress custom-made with Vietnamese youth fashion collective Fancì Club. Li’s is the black velour Monroe Gown by Australian label Effie Kats, an early Hauteline brand.
How it started
Their fashion tastes predate their careers: Li insisted on dressing herself in pink and purple as a toddler, to her mother’s dismay. Chow recalls a London family trip that sparked a dream of being “that really well-dressed person in a really good coat and shiny boots, walking around a big city and being fully yourself.”
Hauteline began with a single rack of clothes and a hunch: “We, as Gen Z women living in downtown New York, felt that the next version of luxury wasn’t just going to be a fancy label or a high price tag,” Chow said. It was about “how you could express yourself.”
Chow left her corporate job to test her vision with pieces from The RealReal, Essence sales and her own closet. She assembled a small inventory to rent in her apartment, posted it online and hosted a launch party. Li, then an emerging fashion content creator, joined as a partner in 2024.
What sets them apart
The store carries every size, in part through partnerships with brands like Tyler McGillivary, a size-inclusive label popular with Gen Z for its bold, colorful prints. Carrying every size doesn’t always make financial sense, Li said.
“But it’s something that we value enough that we’re willing to make that sacrifice,” she added, “so people of all sizes can feel included and be able to experience Hauteline.”
How it works
Hauteline divides its inventory between retail staples customers can rent repeatedly and occasion dresses meant for fewer rentals. New pieces are rented until demand wanes, then sold at a discount. Rental customers can decide to keep items by paying the difference to purchase it. It offers a chance to try investment pieces before buying.
The founders divide responsibilities based on their backgrounds: Li handles the finances, social media and store operations, while Chow oversees Hauteline’s branding, website and other technology needs. But they both do the most fun part: picking the clothes.
What NYC taught them
Running a NYC business showed Chow how far customers will go for a good deal: When Hauteline was first based in Brooklyn, some came from the Bronx to rent a dress.
For Li, New Yorkers’ openness extends to fashion: “That one person will wear a crazy tutu on a random Wednesday,” she said. “That risk-taking for the sake of just being who they are and expressing how they really feel is beautiful.”
How to support them
If a friend needs a dress but prefers not to buy one, or you’re throwing a themed party, point them to Hauteline:
Visit the store at 95 Orchard St.
Open every day 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Follow at @haute_line.
