MARINA DEL REY, Calif. — Ariel McCarty has been making up for lost time after sitting at home in her sweats due to the pandemic.

As a personal assistant and fashion blogger, McCarty is now rocking the latest fashion trends — including bags and accessories — without having to break the bank thanks to Rent the Runway.

"For this order, I got three accessories," said McCarty while pointing at a goody bag filled with designer swag. "I got two bags and some jewelry. And then I got a matching set and this fun stylish top, a pair of jeans and leather pants."

McCarty also received a Yuzefi handbag, which would have cost about $500 at the store. Rent the Runway allows customers to rent top designer outfits and accessories for a fraction of the price.

“It’s just an incredible experience to be able to wear these pieces, and then, when you’re done, you just return them,” she said.

For a monthly fee of about $140, McCarty selects her outfits online, and within days, they show up at her doorstep.

“I’m obsessed,” she said. “I love it.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the fashion industry has been hanging on by a thread. Pretty much everything went wrong in 2020 that could have — from customers being stuck at home to the cancellation of fashion shows and red carpet events.

However, as life slowly returned to normal, clothing rental platforms experienced an unprecedented boom. In May, Rent the Runway saw a 92% spike in active subscribers, the latest number available. Le Tote, another women’s clothing rental service, said it saw a 120% spike in March. 

Worldwide, the clothing rental market is expected to grow 7% in the next five years.

That is not all that is changing. Stylist Tristan Magundayao, who has worked for years at the Los Angeles-based clothing service Dailylook, explained taht the global pandemic has pushed his clients to go for bolder and brighter colors than ever before.

"You want to have a pop of color, so you’re commanding the place like, 'Look at me. I’m here, I’m alive, I’m breathing, I’m happy,'" he said.

For McCarty, it's a chance to feel normal again while enjoying a seemingly unlimited supply of haute couture.

"Just going out and grabbing a drink after work, it’s just very refreshing."