June 1, 2025To celebrate our 25th anniversary, 1stDibs went on what we called a “road trip” to Paris, the place where it all began for us. The website was launched in 2000 to bring the offerings of the Paris flea market to a world only just beginning to be transformed by the Internet. Now, of course, very few of us think twice about purchasing luxury items online through a website or an app, but back then, it was a brave and radical notion.
Today, virtual visits to sellers around the globe are the basis of 1stDibs’ success, but our anniversary journeys through Paris (and London and New York), for which I served as “tour guide,” reminded me of the power of actual travel. As good as 1stDibs has gotten at replicating the sense of thrilled discovery one feels roaming the aisles of Les Puces, there is an undeniable delight in unearthing wonderful treasures while tromping through an actual flea market or antiques emporium and speaking to the experts whose life’s work — passion, actually — is to help bring such pieces to light.
The network of 1stDibs sellers, creators and customers is impressive, and the anniversary trip was an eye-opener for me about the power of our access to that community. That’s why I’m extremely excited that 1stDibs is partnering with Indagare, the luxury travel company, to both re-create that journey and expand upon it. On a five-day trip to Paris this fall, hosted by Melissa Biggs Bradley, Indagare’s visionary founder, and me, we will offer a lineup of exclusive visits with the city’s leading dealers and interior designers, private tours of some of the most beautiful local homes and, of course, a specially curated visit to the Paris flea, among other rare treats.
If you love design (which of course you do, or you wouldn’t be reading this right now!) and the type of savoir faire that only Paris possesses, we invite you to join our small group on this trip. Please visit Indagare to see itinerary specifics and learn more about this special travel opportunity with Melissa and me. We hope to see you in Paris!
