Wait, What Even Is Basic.Space?

Founded in Los Angeles by Jesse Lee in 2020, Basic.Space began as a resale platform for high-profile creatives selling directly from their closets. Lee previously co-founded the digital media brand NTWRK and served as Chief Digital Officer at Guess. Under his leadership, Basic.Space has grown from a niche fashion platform into a multi-category destination for modern luxury. The company has raised over $15 million in funding from investors, including former Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri, ex-Louis Vuitton chairman Michael Burke, and Tao Capital. While Jesse Lee’s personal net worth hasn’t been publicly confirmed, his equity stakes across Basic.Space and past ventures place him among the most influential digital entrepreneurs working in fashion and design today.

1. It Started With a Closet, Not a Runway

Back in 2020, Jesse Lee started Basic.Space by reselling cool stuff from his friends’ wardrobes—models, artists, and athletes. It was low-key. Private links, invite-only drops, and things that felt more like a group chat than a brand.

Now? It’s a full-on marketplace for design, fashion, art and things you didn’t know you wanted until you saw them.

2. It’s For People Who Want to Find What’s Next, Not What’s Popular

This platform wasn’t made for everyone. And that’s kind of the point. It’s built for people who spend time online but want their stuff to feel offline. Who cares about what their apartment says about them as much as what they wear?

Basic. Space buyers are in their 20s or 30s, have decent taste, have some money to spend, and have zero interest in status for status’s sake.

3. The Drops Are Curated, Not Crowded

You won’t scroll through endless pages. Every item on the site is chosen for a reason. The furniture isn’t filler. The art isn’t an afterthought. You’re not just shopping—you’re in on something.

The products feel like an extension of the culture: slow, intentional, and well-designed.

4. Price Tags Range—But Everything Feels Worth It

You might find a £600 collectable chair, or you might find a painting that costs five figures. Both are placed next to each other without apology. It’s not about being expensive. It’s about feeling like it belongs in your space.

You don’t have to be rich. You just have to care.

5. They Bought Design Miami and a Gallery. No Big Deal.

Actually, it is kind of a big deal.

In 2023, Basic.Space bought Design Miami. In 2025, they picked up Platform, a digital gallery connected to David Zwirner. These aren’t just flexes. They’re moves that show the platform’s trying to own more of the cultural pipeline.

It’s not just selling cool stuff. It’s deciding what cool looks like in the first place.

6. Pop-Ups Are Their Thing—Not Flagship Stores

You won’t find Basic.Space in a shopping mall. Instead, they host design fairs and pop-up experiences. In LA, they dropped a three-day fair at the Pacific Design Centre. In New York, they took over SoHo.

One event had blackjack tables where winners got £25,000 worth of art. Another had chairs you could chill on, then buy. It feels more like a hangout with purpose.

7. It’s Smart. Like, Algorithm-Smart

The digital part isn’t just vibes. The platform’s homepage runs on AI. It gets smarter based on what you click, what you buy, and what you almost bought. The feed doesn’t just give you more of what you like—it gives you things you didn’t even know you were into yet.

It’s for you, but for your space.

8. Posting the Mirror > Posting the Fit

In a 2024 interview, Jesse Lee said, “People used to post selfies in the mirror. Now they post the mirror.”

He’s right.

Interiors are the new flex. Your space says more than your sneakers. Your bookshelf, your lamp, your wall art—they’re the aesthetic now. And basic. Space gets that.

9. You Can’t Just Join—You Get Brought In

Basic. Space has started vetting its buyers, not just sellers. Not because it wants to be exclusive for the sake of it. But because the vibe matters.

The people in the space want to be there. They want to discover, spend, and share. That changes the way you shop. Less noise, more intention.

10. It’s Not Just American—It’s Global

Basic. Space isn’t staying put. They’re eyeing cities like Seoul and Dubai. And honestly, it makes sense. The brand is digital-first, which means it can show up anywhere.

And the next wave of luxury isn’t Western. It’s global, fast-moving, and taste-driven.