I have the clothes rack now about a year. Optical chic it is really not, but that's for a clotheshorse not a requirement. The distances between levels are quite small, so that only short terms can be suspended from all levels to be used. But for that the levels can indeed be folded as required. I doubt something to the stability. When loaded with normal wet laundry (5 shirts) is now bends to the top level and is threatening to slip out of the holder. But still he is serving.