E-Closet, a newly developed clothing rental app, officially launched in Auburn on Feb. 6 with a soiree at The Avondale Bar & Tap Room. From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., guests sipped on drinks from the bar, mingled with the creatives behind E-Closet and learned more about the app.
A stylish crowd attended the event, eager to celebrate E-Closet’s launch in Auburn. Emily Heartsill, Auburn alumna, attended the launch with friends.
“[Using the app] has been easy, onboarding is easy. It honestly makes you feel better, in a way, than having a closet account. For me, I don't have as much of a following on Instagram, and so it's harder to sell clothes. With the app, you don't have to have a huge following to reach the audience you're trying to reach,” Heartsill said.
Brandon Spencer founded E-Closet in 2024, but the app has since been remarketed. Gracyn Yelverton, chief operating officer for E-Closet, helped Spencer rebrand the app and relaunch it in January once the spring semester started.
“I had a personal rental account called Oxford Rents, and it reached a pretty high following for a closet account. The owner of E-Closet reached out to me and asked to do a collaboration with my closet account,” Yelverton said.
Olivia Mayer, E-Closet’s chief marketing officer and a senior in interior design at Auburn, had a similar onboarding experience.
Mayer had a closet account on Instagram where she sold clothing she no longer wore. She decided to completely rebrand her account and transform it into a rental account where she would rent out her nicer pieces. The account gained a large following and became a side hustle for Mayer.
Spencer reached out to Mayer after noticing her following on social media, and Mayer quickly became part of the E-Closet team. She also does outreach for the app and has been organizing sorority chapter visits across the country.
E-Closet allows users to easily rent out their clothes or rent clothes from others. It features a searchable, categorized system and handles all booking and availability tracking — eliminating the hassle of manual management. A key benefit is its built-in insurance, which protects both renters and owners from damage.
“[E-Closet] is going to be a great highlight for girls who are postgraduate, who don't really want to go on a college Instagram account,” Mayer said. “It's kind of like Poshmark, where you can do it behind the app. You don't have to show your face or your name, but you can rent your clothes and make some side money.”
E-Closet promotes sustainability by reducing the need for purchasing single-use clothing items and combating fast fashion. It also helps students at schools with a strong dress culture, like SEC universities, access high-end fashion for a fraction of the purchase price and without the pressure of repeated purchases.
“I really just want to see it go nationwide, shipping, to see everyone have fun. We want it to be a lifestyle over anything. We want it to be fun. We have events like this, we have brunches, try-ons and fashion shows,” Mayer said.
According to Mayer, the app has gained thousands of users in the few weeks since its relaunch. As of right now, E-Closet accounts can only be created with a college email, but the team has plans to launch nationwide soon.
Stickers created for the Auburn E-Closet launch party.
The app has gained a significant following on TikTok, spearheaded by Grace Allen, an apparel merchandising student at Auburn. Allen met Mayer through their sorority and Mayer encouraged Allen to join the E-Closet team. Allen owns a styling account and styles college girls for fun.
Allen enjoys the app because it allows users to explore different trends and styles that they normally might not buy for themselves.
“I feel like bringing more awareness to the positive side of renting and the impact that it can leave on girls too, and it also can be a community,” Allen said. “One of the things that we really try to work on is connecting the renter and the buyer. So just connecting the two together and making it, like, a little community as well.”
More than just a clothing rental app, E-Closet is building a community of fashion-forward individuals. From launch parties to styling sessions, the app fosters connections between renters and owners while creating a shared love for style and sustainability. As E-Closet continues to grow, it promises to be more than just an app — it will be a lifestyle.
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Sam Vise, senior in journalism, is the Assistant Culture Editor for The Auburn Plainsman. She has previously served as a culture writer and community reporter.
