![\"fancy.com\"](\"https:\/\/www.smithersofstamford.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fancy.com-apple-store-JME-Joe-Einhorn-ciara-M.png\")
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Glad tidings, darlings. From the balcony of the Punch & Judy pub to the glow of the Apple Store stage in London’s Covent Garden<\/a>, back in 2017, Mr. Smithers \u00a0remained unshaken\u2014even on a grim, gusty day\u2014buoyed 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\u2014Ciara turned heads, and JME (we wonder if he enjoys being called Skepta’s brother<\/strong>) brought the vibe.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Smithers held court. London style. No filters. Just real talk and even realer design.<\/span><\/p>\n The excitement’s got me buzzing\u2014I’m not even sure where to begin. But let’s keep it classic and start at the top.<\/span><\/p>\n Back in 2017, we’d been partnering with <\/span>Fancy.com<\/span><\/strong> for a while, and truth be told, it was an absolute blast. So when Joe Einhorn dropped me a line asking if I’d speak at their UK event, I didn’t hesitate.<\/span><\/p>\n “Yeah,” I thought. “I fancy that.”<\/span><\/p>\n Joe Einhorn\u2014the sharp mind behind the <\/span>Fanc<\/span>y<\/span>.com<\/span><\/strong><\/a> shopping app\u2014had been on a mission, taking his stylish retail revolution global.<\/span><\/p>\n He hosted 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\u2014London, obviously\u2014and you’ve got a recipe for retail magic.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2014model, actress, and yes, <\/span>Blurred Lines<\/span><\/em> icon. You get the vibe.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2014London.<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n In my head, I was Rick. Obviously.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2014hundreds of effortlessly cool kids pouring into that glass temple of Apple brilliance.<\/span><\/p>\n And there I was, wondering\u2026 why the hell did I agree to this? I’m a wannabe hermit, not a headline act!<\/span><\/p>\n Too late. The hour was upon us. Or rather\u2014upon me.<\/span><\/p>\n I’ve never set foot in a Green Room before\u2014well, not legally, anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n I could spill what goes on behind those mysterious (and surprisingly white) walls, but then I’d have to kill you.<\/span><\/p>\n All I remember is this: I walked in feeling like Rocky\u2026 and walked out feeling more Pee-wee Herman.<\/span><\/p>\n To be fair, it was all wonderfully low-key and welcoming. Joe was his usual charming self and introduced us to tech royalty MCJME<\/a>\u2014armed with a Rubik’s Cube, of course. I’ve never figured those bloody things out.<\/span><\/p>\n We met Jack and Joachim from the Fancy crew, proper gents. And just as I was starting to relax, in glided Ciara<\/a>\u2014graceful, polished, absolute goddess energy, entourage in tow.<\/span><\/p>\n Will I ever have an entourage? Probably not. Wife and kids don’t count, do they?<\/span><\/p>\n Everyone backstage was warm and chatty, but then came that call: time to hit the stage.<\/span><\/p>\n Four panel rocking chairs. A sea of terrifyingly stylish Gen Z energy. My knees knocking like faulty plumbing.<\/span><\/p>\n It all felt wildly surreal\u2014part 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.<\/span><\/p>\n Joe kicked off like the pro he is\u2014calm, slick, cool as ever.<\/span><\/p>\n He spoke about <\/span>Fancy.<\/span>c<\/span>om<\/span><\/strong> with the kind of conviction only a founder can. It’s not about what you <\/span>need<\/span><\/em>. It’s about what you <\/span>want<\/span><\/em>. And once you want it enough\u2026 well, now it’s a need, isn’t it?<\/span><\/p>\n Fancy.com<\/span><\/strong> was about celebrating the weird, the wonderful, the slightly bonkers. A digital treasure trove for people who got it\u2014and thankfully, back then, you could actually buy it too.<\/span><\/p>\n Then Joe dropped the Smithers name. The spotlight swung. All eyes on me. Time to talk.<\/span><\/p>\n I’d written a speech. Delivered, maybe, eight words of it.<\/span><\/p>\n The rest? Freestyle panic. Somehow I babbled through what felt like three hours (it was seven minutes). I definitely heard laughter\u2014with me, I think. When I admitted it was my first time public speaking, the crowd gave me a round of applause\u2026 and I swear someone let out a cheeky wolf whistle.<\/span><\/p>\n Clearly, humble chaos has its charm.<\/span><\/p>\n JME was up next and obviously a lot more laid back than I was. Like a pro he chatted easily about his love of <\/span>Fancy.com<\/span><\/strong>, sell out gigs, successful siblings in the form of sister Julie, one of three lead DJ’s for Apple’s radio station Beats 1, and of course brother and successful rapper, Skepta<\/strong> (their parents gotta be pretty chuffed). Not forgetting a slight hint of denial when it came to his possible marriage nuptials next year!<\/span><\/p>\n Ciara slid into the spotlight and absolutely owned the room\u2014effortless, 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.<\/span><\/p>\n She gave a little plug for her latest track, <\/span>Paint It Black<\/span><\/em>\u2014a bold Rolling Stones cover\u2014and spoke about all things <\/span>Fancy.com<\/span><\/strong> with genuine sparkle. By the end of it, the room was smitten. So was I.<\/span><\/p>\n Though let’s be honest\u2014she was clearly having a week. One minute chatting with Smithers in Covent Garden, the next being papped alongside Vin Diesel for <\/span>The Last Witch Hunter<\/span><\/em> promo.<\/span><\/p>\n She was living the dream.<\/span><\/p>\n Smithers on Monday. Vin on Friday. Not bad, eh?<\/span><\/p>\n As the spotlight shifted and the Q&A kicked in, I finally found my rhythm\u2014though how I ended up talking about our infamous six-foot fork, I’ll never know.<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n And let’s be honest\u2014there’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 <\/span>that’s<\/span><\/em> real.<\/span><\/p>\n Fast forward to 2026, and so much has changed.<\/span><\/p>\n Fancy.com<\/span><\/strong>\u2014the platform that once connected us with NBA players, NFL athletes, actors, musicians and television personalities from around the world\u2014has since changed ownership and eventually closed its doors. The app is gone. The digital treasure trove has faded into internet history.<\/span><\/p>\n But here’s the thing about great design: it has no borders. And neither do the relationships built along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n Many of the connections forged during that <\/span>Fancy.com<\/span><\/strong> era have endured. A number of those celebrity clients have returned over the years, commissioning bespoke furniture and interior pieces time and again. They didn’t come back because of an app. They came back because of the craft. The quality. The story behind every piece.<\/span><\/p>\n That 2017 night at the Apple Store wasn’t just a moment\u2014it was a milestone. It cracked open a door that had never been opened before. It taught me that I could stand in front of a room full of strangers and speak from the heart (even if I only delivered eight words of my carefully written speech). It taught me that Smithers could hold its own alongside global names and global brands.<\/span><\/p>\n And it taught me that the best partnerships aren’t about platforms\u2014they’re about people.<\/span><\/p>\n These days, you’re just as likely to find Smithers pieces in a cosy family home in the Cotswolds as you are in a penthouse overlooking Manhattan. We’re still furnishing London restaurants, still shipping custom-made statement pieces overseas, and still doing what we’ve always done: creating furniture that people remember.<\/span><\/p>\n Speaking of things people remember\u2014back at Smithers HQ in 2026, the Halloween spirit is alive and well. Our beloved bony pal, Mr. Mort Ality, the anatomical full size bronze skeleton model with serious character, is still turning heads. He made his way to Texas back in the day and he’s still getting rave reviews. Creepy enough for October, stylish enough for all year round. That’s the Smithers way.<\/span><\/p>\n Would I rank <\/span>Fancy.com<\/span><\/strong> today? No. The domain is dead. The traffic is zero. There’s no SEO value in chasing a ghost.<\/span><\/p>\n But the <\/span>story<\/span><\/em> of <\/span>Fancy.com<\/span><\/strong>? That’s priceless.<\/span><\/p>\n It’s a reminder that sometimes the biggest breaks come from the most unexpected places. A partnership with a shopping app. A last-minute speaking invitation. A pub balcony in Covent Garden. A Rubik’s Cube-wielding rapper. A goddess-like Ciara. A six-foot fork that somehow became the talk of the Q&A.<\/span><\/p>\n That night in 2017 put Smithers on a map we didn’t even know existed. And nine years later, in 2026, we’re still here\u2014still crafting, still creating, still telling stories through wood, metal, and design.<\/span><\/p>\n Fancy.com<\/span><\/strong> gave us a stage. But we built the legacy.<\/span><\/p>\n And the best part? We’re only just getting started.<\/span><\/p>\n Inspired by the story? Ready to bring a piece of Smithers into your own home, restaurant, or project?<\/span><\/p>\n Whether you’re looking for a statement piece that sparks conversation, a bespoke cabinet crafted to your exact specifications, or simply want to chat about how we can bring your vision to life\u2014we’d love to hear from you.<\/span><\/p>\n Here’s how to get in touch:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Custom & Bespoke Furniture and Neon Sign Design <\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a089\u201390 Paul Street, <\/em><\/p>\nFancy That \u2013 From Collaboration to Centre Stage<\/span><\/h3>\n
Fancy Shopping \u2013 Retro Love Meets App Royalty<\/span><\/h3>\n
From the Big Apple to Blighty \u2013 <\/span>Fancy.com<\/span> Goes Global<\/span><\/h3>\n
Pint-Sized Panic Before Showtime<\/span><\/h3>\n
Behind the Green Door<\/span><\/h3>\n
Ciara, Cubes & Casual Legends<\/span><\/h3>\n
Showtime Madness<\/span><\/h3>\n
The Gospel of Fancy, According to Joe<\/span><\/h3>\n
Squeaky Bum Time<\/span><\/h3>\n
JME \u2013 Skepta’s Brother<\/span><\/h3>\n
Ciara, Accents & a Bit of Vin Diesel on the Side<\/span><\/h3>\n
An Amazing Ride\u2026 and a Six-Foot Fork<\/span><\/h3>\n
\nLooking Back from 2026: What <\/span>Fancy.com<\/span> Taught Us That Still Matters Today<\/span><\/h2>\n
From Red Carpets to Rattling Bones in 2026<\/span><\/h3>\n
The Takeaway: <\/span>Fancy.com<\/span> May Be Gone, But the Story Lives On<\/span><\/h3>\n
Let’s Create Something You’ll Remember<\/span><\/h2>\n
Smithers Studio \u2013 Shoreditch, London<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n