ViyahVogue.

Kim Koodwin posted 3 months ago

How ViyahVogue Works

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The Complete Guide to ViyahVogue: Everything You Need to Know Before You Start

Welcome to ViyahVogue. This guide covers everything you need to know about how the platform works – whether you’re here to list an outfit or borrow one. Read it once before you get started and you’ll know exactly what to expect at every stage.

What is ViyahVogue?

ViyahVogue is a peer-to-peer rental marketplace for South Asian occasion wear. Lenders list outfits they own – lehengas, sherwanis, salwar kameez, sarees and more – and borrowers rent them for a fraction of the cost of buying new.

Every transaction happens between real people in the community. ViyahVogue provides the platform, handles payments securely, and supports both parties if anything goes wrong.

How It Works: The Borrower Journey

1. Search and Browse

Use the search filters to find outfits by size, occasion, colour and location. Every listing includes photos, measurements, a description of the outfit’s condition and a daily rental price.

Read listings carefully before messaging. Most questions about fit, fabric and condition are answered in the description.

2. Message the Lender Before Booking

Before placing a booking, use the ViyahVogue messaging system to contact the lender directly. This is important – once you book, payment is taken immediately and the cancellation policy applies.

Use the pre-booking conversation to:

  • Ask about fit and measurements if you’re unsure
  • Agree on both a collection and drop-off location and date
  • Arrange an informal try-on if you want to see the outfit in person first

All communication must stay on the ViyahVogue platform. This protects your deposit and ensures we can support you if a dispute arises.

3. Book and Pay

When you’re ready to book, select your rental dates and confirm the booking. At this point:

  • The rental fee is charged to your card
  • The security deposit is charged to your card
  • Both are held by ViyahVogue – nothing is released to the lender yet

You will receive a booking confirmation with your Order ID. Keep this – you will need it for the handover.

4. Collection

Bring valid photo ID to the collection – passport, driving licence or national ID card. The name on your ID must match the name on the booking and the card used to pay. You will not be able to collect the outfit without ID.

Meet the lender at the agreed public location. Both parties open the ViyahVogue Handover App at viyahvogue.com/handover and complete the collection flow together. The app guides you through:

  • Confirming the booking details
  • Checking the inventory
  • Noting any pre-existing marks or condition issues
  • ID verification
  • Officially starting the rental period

Inspect the outfit carefully before you leave. If you find significant damage that wasn’t disclosed in the listing, you have the right to refuse the rental. Use the app to report this and contact us within 24 hours.

5. During the Rental

Take care of the outfit as you would want someone to take care of yours. If anything happens during the rental, contact the lender through the platform as soon as possible.

6. Return

Meet the lender at the agreed time and place. Both parties open the handover app again and complete the return flow – confirming the outfit’s condition and that all items have been returned.

7. Leave a Review

Once the return is confirmed, both parties must submit a review within 7 days. If your review is not submitted within this window, we will assume the rental went according to plan and will release the other party’s deposit or payout while we wait for yours.

Reviews must be honest – we do not tolerate retaliatory or dishonest feedback.

Once both reviews are submitted and no damage claim has been raised, your deposit is released back to you.

How It Works: The Lender Journey

1. Create Your Listing

Photograph your outfit, add measurements, write a description and set your rental price and security deposit. Your listing will be reviewed by the ViyahVogue team before it goes live.

A strong listing includes:

  • At least three photos, with the first showing the outfit being worn
  • Exact measurements – not just a UK size label
  • An honest description of the outfit’s condition including any imperfections
  • A competitive rental price

For full guidance see: How to Create a Listing on ViyahVogue and Photo Guidelines.

2. Connect Your Bank Account

Before you can receive payouts you must connect your bank account via Stripe Connect. Go to your dashboard and follow the Stripe onboarding flow. This is required before any rental can be paid out to you.

See: How to Connect Your Bank Account via Stripe.

3. Respond to Messages

When a borrower messages you, respond promptly. Borrowers who don’t hear back quickly will move on to another listing. Use the pre-booking conversation to confirm the collection date and location and answer any questions about fit or condition.

4. Confirm the Booking

Once a borrower places a booking, you will be notified. Review the booking details and confirm the collection arrangement directly with the borrower through the platform.

Do not release the outfit until ViyahVogue has confirmed that payment has been successfully processed.

5. Collection

Meet the borrower at the agreed public location. Both parties open the ViyahVogue Handover App at viyahvogue.com/handover and complete the collection flow together. During the collection flow, you will photograph the borrower’s ID through the app – this is sent securely to the ViyahVogue operations team.

Go through the outfit with the borrower before handing it over. Check zips, fastenings, embellishments and inventory together. Film a short video of the outfit with the borrower present – this is your best protection if a dispute arises later.

6. Return

Meet the borrower at the agreed return time. Both parties complete the return flow in the handover app. Once the return is confirmed you will be prompted to leave a mandatory review.

7. Get Paid

Your payout is released once both parties have submitted their reviews within 7 days of the return being confirmed. If the borrower does not submit their review within 7 days, we will proceed with releasing your payout while we wait for theirs. ViyahVogue takes a 20% commission from each rental – your payout is the remaining amount, sent to the bank account connected via Stripe.

How the Security Deposit Works

Every booking includes a security deposit set by the lender. This is charged to the borrower’s card at the time of booking alongside the rental fee.

The deposit is held by ViyahVogue for the entire rental period. It is never paid to the lender upfront.

When the deposit is returned to the borrower: Once the return is confirmed in the handover app and both parties have submitted their mandatory reviews, the deposit is released back to the borrower – provided no damage claim has been raised.

When the deposit may be deducted: If the outfit is returned with significant damage – major stains, rips, broken zips or substantial embellishment loss – the lender can raise a dispute. ViyahVogue will review the evidence and determine whether a deduction from the deposit is warranted. The deposit may also be deducted if the outfit is not returned at all.

Normal wear and tear – light hem dirt, a small number of missing beads – is not grounds for a deposit claim.

Why we have a security deposit: South Asian occasion wear is expensive and often intricate. A security deposit protects lenders against the cost of repair or specialist cleaning if something goes wrong. It also gives borrowers a financial incentive to take care of the outfit. Setting your deposit at a realistic level is important – it should reflect what it would actually cost to put things right, whether that’s a repair, specialist cleaning, or in the unlikely event the outfit is not returned, a contribution towards replacing it. This is particularly relevant for high-end or heavily embellished pieces.

For full guidance see: Disputes and Cancellations and How the Handover App Works.

Cancellations and Refunds

If the borrower cancels more than 24 hours before collection:

The booking can be cancelled through the platform. Note that transaction fees charged by Stripe at the point of booking are non-refundable.

If the borrower cancels within 24 hours of collection:

A £20 late cancellation fee is deducted from the deposit and paid to the lender. This compensates the lender for holding the date and turning down other potential bookings.

If the outfit doesn’t fit at collection:

If no try-on was arranged in advance and the outfit doesn’t fit at the point of collection, this is treated as a late cancellation. The £20 fee applies. Borrowers are strongly encouraged to message lenders about fit before booking and arrange a try-on if there is any doubt.

If the outfit is significantly different from the listing:

If significant undisclosed damage is found at collection, the borrower has the right to refuse the rental. This must be documented through the handover app and reported to ViyahVogue within 24 hours. A full refund of the rental fee and deposit will be issued.

If the outfit is returned late:


A late return fee applies for each day the outfit remains outstanding after the agreed return date – the normal daily rental rate, plus an additional 50% as a late penalty. For example, a £20/day outfit returned 2 days late would incur £60 in late fees (£40 rental plus £20 penalty). This is deducted from the security deposit and capped at the full deposit amount.

If an outfit is returned late, the lender should alert us at operations@viyahvogue.com as soon as possible. ViyahVogue will attempt mediation between both parties for 5 working days. If the outfit remains unreturned after this, it will be treated as theft and reported to the police and relevant credit authorities. The security deposit is not released to the lender until our investigation has concluded.

ViyahVogue service fees and Stripe processing fees are non-refundable in all cases.

For full guidance see: Disputes and Cancellations.

The ViyahVogue Handover App

The handover app at viyahvogue.com/handover is a mobile web app that manages the physical exchange of outfits between lenders and borrowers. Both parties use it at collection and at return.

You do not need to download anything. It runs in your phone’s browser.

What you need:

  • Your Order ID (in your booking confirmation email)
  • Your ViyahVogue email address
  • Valid photo ID (borrowers – you will need this at collection)
  • Your phone with a working camera

The app guides both parties through each step of the handover process, records the transaction, and officially starts and ends the rental period. Both parties must complete their steps in the app for the handover or return to be recorded.

If the app is not working, follow the Manual Handover Protocol – both parties record a video of the outfit together and contact operations@viyahvogue.com with the booking reference as soon as possible.

For full guidance see: How the Handover App Works and Manual Handover Protocol.

Safety

ViyahVogue is a community marketplace built on trust. A few non-negotiable rules:

  • Keep all communication on the platform – do not move conversations to WhatsApp or personal email
  • Meet in public locations only – places of worship, public libraries, town halls and community centres are all good options. If you choose to meet at a private address, you do so at your own risk
  • All payments through ViyahVogue – never pay or accept cash or bank transfers outside the platform
  • ID is required at every collection – the person collecting must be the person who made the booking
  • No proxy collections – do not send someone else to collect on your behalf

If you feel unsafe at any point, contact us immediately at operations@viyahvogue.com. In an emergency, call 999 first.

For full guidance see: Community Safety and Personal Security.

Key Contacts and Links

Further Reading

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