Part blog, part magazine, and part wish list, The Fancy is a website and mobile app that allows you to discover, collect and buy amazing goods from a crowd curated catalog. This New York-based social version of Amazon.com was founded by Joe Einhorn in 2009, and has reportedly raised over $50 million from an array of notable investors that include American Express, Will Smith, Twitter’s Jack Dorsey, Facebook’s Chris Hughes, and others. Currently valued at $600 million, Fancy is hot these days and is considered one of the best e-commerce sites to scope out the coolest places to visit and things to buy from people whose exceptional taste you admire- like one of the influencers I keep my eye on, Lauren Santo Domingo.
The categories are varied, so whether you’re seeking inspiration for yourself, your man, your kids, your pet, or you’re feeling food, art, interiors or even gadgets at the moment, Fancy is the place to access items you may not find elsewhere. What sets it apart from others is the ability to purchase items instead of just liking them, and the marketplace functionality is live, conducting e-commerce transactions right from the stream without ever leaving the site or app. Brands include Acne, 1st dibs.com, J. Crew, Opening Ceremony, Ralph Lauren, Saint Laurent, Warby Parker, Zara and a multitude of others. Frequently described as Pinterest for shopping, Fancy recently rolled out a new service, Fancy Box Subscription, which sends hand-picked goods featured on their website to your home for $30 dollars a month. Just troll through their app anywhere, anytime- it could make that dreaded visit to the DMV more interesting, not to mention more bearable- and you’ll find yourself saying out loud, I fancy everything. www.fancy.com/mobile
