Glad tidings, darlings. From the balcony of the Punch & Judy pub to the glow of the Apple Store stage in London’s Covent Garden, Mr. S remained unshaken—even on a grim, gusty day—buoyed by a storm of good fortune blowing in from all directions. The latest gust? A front-row moment at the Red Carpet Fancy event inside that iconic Apple space. A slick affair, decked out with some properly famous faces—Ciara turned heads, and JME (we wonder if he enjoys being called Skepta’s brother) brought the vibe.
Smithers held court. London style. No filters. Just real talk and even realer design.
Fancy That – From Collaboration to Centre Stage
The excitement’s got me buzzing—I’m not even sure where to begin. But let’s keep it classic and start at the top.
We’ve been partnering with Fancy for a while now, and truth be told, it’s been an absolute blast. So when Joe dropped me a line asking if I’d speak at their UK event, I didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah,” I thought. “I fancy that.”
Fancy Shopping – Retro Love Meets App Royalty
Joe Einhorn—the sharp mind behind the Fancy shopping app—has been on a mission, taking his stylish retail revolution global.
He’s been hosting a slick series of events, complete with guest speakers (yours truly included), where I got to bang on about my love affair with all things retro. Add a few famous faces to the mix, and only the coolest cities on the map—London, obviously—and you’ve got a recipe for retail magic.
From the Big Apple to Blighty – Fancy Goes Global
Naturally, with Apple hosting, the first stop had to be the Big Apple. Joe kicked things off in New York with none other than Emily Ratajkowski—model, actress, and yes, Blurred Lines icon. You get the vibe.
Next stop? Paris, with the effortlessly cool Zendaya along for the ride. And finally, the Fancy tour touched down in our own beloved glory town—London.
Set inside the world’s largest Apple Store, Mrs. Smithers and I rocked up to Covent Garden in style. Though not before we spent a few bizarre hours being chased through London Bridge by zombies. No, seriously. Zombies. Full throttle.
Pint-Sized Panic Before Showtime
In my head, I was Rick. Obviously.
But as the reality crept in, so did the nerves. So we ducked into The Punch and Judy Covent Garden for a couple pints of Dutch courage. From the pub’s balcony, I watched the crowds roll in—hundreds of effortlessly cool kids pouring into that glass temple of Apple brilliance.
And there I was, wondering… why the hell did I agree to this? I’m a wannabe hermit, not a headline act!
Too late. The hour was upon us. Or rather—upon me.
Behind the Green Door
I’ve never set foot in a Green Room before—well, not legally, anyway.
I could spill what goes on behind those mysterious (and surprisingly white) walls, but then I’d have to kill you.
All I remember is this: I walked in feeling like Rocky… and walked out feeling more Pee-wee Herman.
Ciara, Cubes & Casual Legends
To be fair, it was all wonderfully low-key and welcoming. Joe was his usual charming self and introduced us to tech royalty MC JME—armed with a Rubik’s Cube, of course. I’ve never figured those bloody things out.
We met Jack and Joachim from the Fancy crew, proper gents. And just as I was starting to relax, in glided Ciara—graceful, polished, absolute goddess energy, entourage in tow.
Will I ever have an entourage? Probably not. Wife and kids don’t count, do they?
Showtime Madness
Everyone backstage was warm and chatty, but then came that call: time to hit the stage.
Four panel chairs. A sea of terrifyingly stylish Gen Z energy. My knees knocking like faulty plumbing.
It all felt wildly surreal—part fever dream, part career milestone. As I took my seat to whoops and claps, I braced myself for the inevitable moment when security would realise I’d snuck in.
The Gospel of Fancy, According to Joe
Joe kicked off like the pro he is—calm, slick, cool as ever.
He spoke about Fancy with the kind of conviction only a founder can. It’s not about what you need. It’s about what you want. And once you want it enough… well, now it’s a need, isn’t it?
Fancy’s about celebrating the weird, the wonderful, the slightly bonkers. It’s a digital treasure trove for people who get it—and now, thankfully, you can actually buy it too.
Squeaky Bum Time
Then Joe dropped the Smithers name. The spotlight swung. All eyes on me. Time to talk.
I’d written a speech. Delivered, maybe, eight words of it.
The rest? Freestyle panic. Somehow I babbled through what felt like three hours (it was seven minutes). I definitely heard laughter—with me, I think. When I admitted it was my first time public speaking, the crowd gave me a round of applause… and I swear someone let out a cheeky wolf whistle.
Clearly, humble chaos has its charm.
JME Skepta’s Brother
JME was up next and obviously a lot more laid back than I was. Like a pro he chatted easily about his love of Fancy, sell out gigs, successful siblings in the form of sister Julie, one of three lead DJ’s for Apples radio station Beats 1 and of course brother and successful rapper, ”Skepta” (their parents gotta be pretty chuffed) and not forgetting a slight hint of denial when it came to his possible marriage nuptials next year!
Ciara, Accents & a Bit of Vin Diesel on the Side
Ciara slid into the spotlight and absolutely owned the room—effortless, elegant, and just the right amount of cheek. She even gave a British accent a go, which frankly came across clearer than my own ramblings.
She gave a little plug for her latest track, Paint It Black—a bold Rolling Stones cover—and spoke about all things Fancy with genuine sparkle. By the end of it, the room was smitten. So was I.
Though let’s be honest—she’s clearly having a week. One minute chatting with Smithers in Covent Garden, the next being papped alongside Vin Diesel for The Last Witch Hunter promo.
She’s living the dream.
Smithers on Monday. Vin on Friday. Not bad, eh?
An Amazing Ride… and a Six-Foot Fork
As the spotlight shifted and the Q&A kicked in, I finally found my rhythm—though how I ended up talking about our infamous six-foot fork, I’ll never know.
What really floored me was the response after the event. People stuck around, shook my hand, and had lovely things to say about Smithers. Humbled doesn’t even cut it. It was mad, magical, and totally surreal.
And let’s be honest—there’s no better way to come down from all that glitz than with a proper burger and a pint at Sophie’s round the corner. Now that’s real.
From Red Carpets to Rattling Bones
Speaking of real… things have taken a spooky turn back at Smithers HQ. The Halloween rush is in full swing, and the freaky favourites are flying off the shelves.
One standout? Our beloved bony pal, Mr. Mort Ality—the anatomical full size bronze skeleton model with serious character. He recently made his way to Texas, of all places, and he’s been getting rave reviews. Creepy enough for October, stylish enough for all year round. That’s the Smithers way.
Potterheads & Peculiar Pieces
For all you Gryffindor wannabes, our Harry Potter Potions Box is pure wizardry. An absolute must-have this Halloween, it’s the perfect centrepiece for serving blood-curdling brews or ghoul-tastic snacks. Magic never looked this good.
And if you’re after something a little darker—The Skull Tidy is your guy. Equal parts eerie and functional, this bony beauty is ideal for stashing your keys, phone, or other bits you’d rather not have haunting your sideboard.
I love a good trick, but these? These are all about the treats—especially if you’re hunting down the perfect Halloween gift for men with taste.
For all you Gryffindor wannabes, our Harry Potter Potions Box is an absolute must have for Halloween and makes an eye catching piece for dishing up some blood-curdling beers or ghoul-tastic treats.
From Ghouls to Gifts – The Festive Season Beckons
I hate to say it—but all of the above make cracking gifts for men too.
Yes, I’ve said it. The dreaded C-word.
Christmas is creeping in, and like it or not, Smithers is already deep in festive mode.
We’re talking vintage-style ride-ons, smoking robots, and retro skateboards so colourful they’d make Santa trade in his sleigh. It’s all going in our letter to the big man—so you’d best start being nice and get yourself off that Naughty List sharpish.
In the meantime, get your ghoul on for the 31st, light a few bangers with ole Guy Fawkes on the 5th, and keep an eye out—we’ve got more retro brilliance coming your way very soon.
Until next time, my friends.
Or should that be… fiends?
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