How did you two meet?
Emmy: The summer before our sophomore year of college, our friends Nic and Connor introduced me to Amelia. We started hanging out and have been best friends ever since!
I know you are recent graduates of NC State. Can you tell me what you studied, and if it didn’t relate to business or fashion, how do you feel you are able to apply it to this?
Amelia: We both graduated with our BS in business administration with a concentration in marketing from NC State.
Emmy: I also earned a minor in arts entrepreneurship, which helped me develop a creative mindset alongside my business skills.
Are you from the Triangle area? If so, can you tell me a bit about growing up here and what it means to have a successful business in the area? If not, what made you want to stay here after college and keep the physical stores in the area?
Amelia: Yes! I was born and raised in Cary, and graduated from Cardinal Gibbons High School in 2020. I chose to attend NC State for college, though I was initially hesitant to stay in the Triangle since I had lived here my entire life. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Both growing up in this area and being part of the NC State community have given me a deep sense of connection and support. That foundation made it incredibly meaningful and ultimately rewarding to open our first storefronts here. The Triangle has truly felt like the right place to grow both personally and professionally.
Emmy: I’m originally from High Point, but by the time I graduated we had already opened our first store, so staying in the area was an easy decision. I truly love living in Raleigh and won’t be leaving anytime soon!
Have you always had an interest in fashion?
Amelia: My passion for fashion really began during college. It was the first time I truly experienced how people use clothing as a form of self-expression. Attending numerous events and having the chance to dress in ways that made me feel confident was a transformative experience. However, I quickly realized that quality fashion can often be expensive. That inspired Emmy and I to create a solution that makes fashion more accessible and affordable, allowing women to feel comfortable and confident in what they wear every day. Through building TrenLend, we’ve fully immersed ourselves in the fashion industry and have developed a deep appreciation for it.
Describe how this idea came about. I know you both were disappointed with similar rental businesses, but how did it go from that initial disappointment to a full-fledged business?
Emmy: Amelia first approached me with the idea of renting out our personal dresses to make a little extra money on the side. We started out as The College Closet, inviting girls to our college house where they’d try on dresses in our spare bedrooms. Through this, we realized how much people loved being able to try things on before renting—something we had always wished for ourselves after frustrating experiences with other rental companies. The concept just clicked. With the support of our families and a genuine passion for what we were building, we took the leap and officially launched our business as TrenLend. Instead of just renting out personal dresses, we started working directly with designers to build a diverse and growing collection with a wide range of sizes, styles and price points. This helps us offer an inclusive and thoughtful rental experience, so every customer who walks into our store or shops online can find something that works for them.
Do you find most people take advantage of your storefronts so they can try on the dresses beforehand, or is most of your business online?
Emmy: Definitely! Most of our customers love the in-store experience and take full advantage of being able to try things on before renting, it’s a huge part of what makes TrenLend special. We’ve even had customers travel from out of state just to visit our stores and try on a range of our styles, so they know exactly what they like when placing future online orders. That said, our online business has really taken off this year and we’ve already shipped to almost all 50 states, which is so exciting to see!
How long did it take for the business to get up and running?
Amelia: It took us about six months from the initial idea to launching TrenLend on social media in early 2023. From there things moved quickly. By August 2023, we officially opened our first storefront in Cary. Exactly one year later, in August 2024, we expanded with a second location in North Hills!
What is your approach to the clothing you choose to stock? Do you get requests for certain designers?
Emmy: Our approach to selecting clothing is all about offering pieces that feel special, unique and truly flattering for a wide variety of ages and body types. From casual daytime attire to elegant options for black-tie events, we aim to provide wardrobe solutions for every occasion. We deeply value the relationships we have with our brands and are continuously working to expand our brand offerings for our customers. Additionally, we love getting feedback from our customers on what brands they would like to see in store and always try our best to research each brand and see if it would be a good fit for our model.
What plans do you have for the future?
Amelia: TrenLend today looks quite different from our original vision, which is one of the most exciting aspects of our journey. The business is continually evolving, and while the future remains uncertain, our commitment is clear: to provide an affordable, accessible and sustainable approach to fashion for our customers and community. We have plans to expand both our physical storefronts and our online offerings. Each day brings new challenges and opportunities, especially in the rapidly evolving clothing rental industry. Our goal is to remain adaptable and pursue steady growth. At the core of our success will be broadening our product offerings to appeal to a wider audience while refining our processes to make the rental experience as seamless and convenient as possible. Staying true to our company values and focusing on delivering an exceptional customer experience will be essential to our continued growth.
