The Conscious Closet: Rosie Gunn of Endless

Fashion has always sold us the idea of more. More trends. More newness. More outfits for moments that last only a few hours before disappearing into the back of the wardrobe. But for Rosie Gunn, founder of Endless, the question was never simply about what we wear, but why we feel the need to own so much of it in the first place.

After years working in fashion buying in the UK, Rosie launched Endless with a vision to make circular fashion feel elevated, effortless and aspirational rather than niche or overly “thrifty”. Today, Endless has become one of the UAE’s leading luxury rental and resale platforms, helping women rethink their relationship with shopping through a more conscious lens. Because at Beautilist, living beautifully also means living more thoughtfully. And in a city built around events, occasions and constant social calendars, the conversation around fashion consumption feels more relevant than ever.

Below, Rosie shares her thoughts on ownership, overconsumption, why circular fashion still faces resistance and what the future wardrobe could look like.

THE Q&A

Endless is built around rental and resale rather than ownership. What made you question the idea that we need to own what we wear in the first place?

Working in fashion, I saw firsthand how much of what we buy is only worn a handful of times, particularly going out and event outfits. That made me question why ownership had become the default when, in many cases, access makes far more sense than buying. Fashion is about self-expression and confidence, not necessarily ownership.

Rental and resale allow women to enjoy variety, quality and style in a way that feels smarter and more aligned with how we actually dress today. It’s about changing your relationship with clothes and questioning, at the point of shopping, how many times am I going to wear this piece? If you’re going to wear something once or twice, rent. If you’re going to wear something endlessly, buy.

The traditional fashion model is still built on constant newness. Where do you think that model is starting to break?

Consumers are becoming far more conscious of both the environmental and financial cost of overconsumption. The traditional model relies on people buying more, wearing less and discarding quickly, but that behaviour is increasingly being challenged. We’re seeing a shift away from mindless accumulation towards more considered shopping habits, particularly among younger consumers who want both style and substance from the brands they support.

Rental has been talked about for years, but adoption is still relatively slow. What’s holding people back?

The biggest barrier is habit. People have been conditioned for decades to equate fashion with ownership, so changing that mindset takes time. Our role is to remove that friction entirely, making rental feel just as luxe, trustworthy and easy as buying new.

From a sustainability perspective, how impactful is rental and resale when done properly?

When executed properly, circular fashion can significantly extend the lifespan of garments and reduce unnecessary production, which is where the majority of fashion’s environmental impact sits. But it only works when the operational model is efficient. Logistics, cleaning, repair and inventory management all matter. Circularity is not a silver bullet, but it is a critical part of reducing fashion’s reliance on constant new production.

There’s often a perception that circular fashion is complicated or inconvenient. How are you trying to simplify that behaviour for your customer?

My entire vision is on making circular shopping feel luxe and effortless. I’ve built Endless to offer the same convenience and feeling consumers expect from typical luxe e-commerce: fast delivery, easy browsing, professional quality control and a highly curated edit. If circular fashion feels harder than buying new, mass adoption simply won’t happen.

What types of pieces make the most sense to rent rather than own?

Outfits for events, occasions and going out are the most obvious category. Wedding guest dresses, black tie, holiday wardrobes and statement pieces you may only wear once or twice. But we’re increasingly seeing customers rent fashion-forward trend items too, pieces they want to enjoy for a moment or experiment with without committing to long-term ownership.

How do you see the role of materials evolving within a rental and resale model?

Circular models reward quality and durability, so they naturally shift focus toward garments designed to last. Designers will increasingly need to think beyond first purchase and consider longevity, care, repairability and how a piece performs over multiple lives, not just how it looks on the shop floor.

In a city like Dubai, where fashion is often occasion-driven, do you think circular models have an advantage?

Definitely. Dubai has a highly social, event-led culture where women often want luxe newness in their wardrobe but may only wear pieces once. That makes it an incredibly natural market for rental and resale. Circular fashion offers the variety and elevated style customers want, without the waste or wardrobe overload.

What is the biggest misconception people still have about renting clothes?

That it may be difficult to do. That’s why our main goal is to make it feel effortless and luxe. The modern rental can offer access to a far better wardrobe than most people could justify buying outright. When done well, renting should feel luxurious, seamless and aspirational, not like a compromise.

Looking ahead, do you think the future wardrobe will be smaller, shared, or something else entirely?

I think the future wardrobe will be more intentional. People will still own the pieces they truly love and wear repeatedly, but they’ll supplement that with rented or second-hand fashion for variety, occasion and experimentation. The future isn’t about owning nothing. It’s about owning better and accessing the rest.