CW Pencil Enterprise

It was a year ago today that Tazz forwarded me a New York Times feature regarding a quirky little pencil shop in Lower Manhattan, and all indecision about our prospective holiday faded in an instant. Upon first impression, CW Pencil Enterprise seemed like the kind of shop you might find on a stroll around East London, however Tazz and I were oddly captivated by the shop's dedication to such a simple an item of stationery, one often overlooked in our digital age. Thus we earmarked the store as a priority on our long list of places to explore.

Fast forward to February of this year, Tazz and I cross Chinatown and spot a giant pencil printed above a glass shopfront, through which we see pencils of every colour surrounding a checkerboard floor. On closer inspection, CW Pencil Enterprise is nothing less than a pencil paradise, with pencils of all grades and sizes - from countries around the globe - neatly bunched in transparent pencil pots. Scented pencils from Portugal, bi-colour pencils made in Switzerland, and pencils from Japan crafted to resemble cigarettes are just some of the wonders on the store's shelves, alongside an array of HB and No.2 pencils.

Displayed among this handsome collection are all the accompanying stationery a pencil enthusiast would desire, including erasers, sharpeners, and notebooks. And to one side of the shop is a testing station with samples of every pencil on sale. As I chatted with two of the store's "Pencil Ladies", Caitlin and founder Caroline Weaver, Tazz settled down at the desk to scribble vigorously.

In a world in which computers have become the standard tool for many creative works, CW Pencil Enterprise is certainly a curiosity, but its triumph as an independent business goes to show the resilience of the faithful pencil. If you ever find yourself on the Lower East Side, do pop into this stationery heaven and pick up a pencil or two.

CW Pencil Enterprise is located at: 100a Forsyth Street, New York.

Fashion Bloc launch party at Kaizo

Lako Bukia knitted dress | Labàdienà snapback | Zsigmond Dora Menswear t-shirt & shorts
(Photograph by Edek Goralski - www.edekgoralski.co.uk)

When Tazz and I turned up fashionably late for the Fashion Bloc launch party, we hadn't necessarily counted on spending our evening as impromptu fashion models. But within ten minutes of our arrival, Tazz was getting her hair done, and I was squashing mine under a snapback.

Based in London, Fashion Bloc is a brand new platform pushing Eastern European designers to the foreground of fashion retail. The private party at Kaizo hair salon in Shoreditch prepared the guest bloggers and stylists for a shoot with photographer Edek Goralski, styling garments and accessories specially selected from Fashion Bloc's independent designer collective.

Although I prefer to remain behind the camera, I braved a Zsigmond Dora Menswear ensemble, comprising a printed t-shirt and avant-garde styled shorts, topped off - quite literally - with a Labàdienà baseball cap. It was a particularly summery look compared with Tazz's choice, an extremely snug Lako Bukia knitted dress, which transformed her into a human-sized teddy bear.

Tazz Gault, The Mall

Tazz is wearing Orla Kiely "Abigail" shoes from the AW15 collection, dress and roll-neck from Zara, and an Osprey bag.

Tazz Gault, The Royal Exchange

I often wonder why Tazz isn't a style blogger too. Whenever we go out, whether for a fashion event, the theatre, or after-work drinks, she's a consistently better dresser. This photo was taken on the front steps of the Royal Exchange, shortly after attending the Hawes & Curtis store launch on Old Broad Street. Tazz is wearing Dune shoes, a Topshop skirt and leather jacket, and a Marc by Marc Jacobs handbag.

Three hours, three press days

Press days all seem to come at once. It's pretty handy for proper fashion journos, who might spend their working day to-ing and fro-ing from showroom to showroom, surviving each hour on finger food. But for a blogger with a full-time job outside of London, attending press days can be rather a challenge, especially when there are several events squeezed into the same evening. Leave work early, catch the fast train into London, then race the Tube to the first press event, knowing you have perhaps half an hour before you have to head off elsewhere. It doesn't help either to mix up the addresses and walk confidently in the wrong direction.

Despite our confused start, Tazz and I managed to attend three press days in as many hours. Our first port of call was Village, whose Old Street showroom presented AW15 collections by the likes of Tatty Devine, Peter Jensen and Fyodor Golan. My favourite pieces, however, were a very handsome watch collection by Filson, and it came as no surprise to learn these timepieces were made in collaboration with one of my all-time favourite brands, Shinola, for which I professed my love last year.

Our next stop was then Selfridges, for the official launch of their new headphones destination. With more than five hundred pairs of headphones in a dedicated corner of the lower ground floor, it's an audio-junkie's paradise. In true Selfridges style, you'll find all the big brands, including Bose, Sennheiser and Beats by Dre. And if you really fancy splashing the cash, there's even a sleek collection of premium designs priced at £1,000 and upwards. But the best feature of this new department is the connection stations, where you can plug the headphones into your mp3 player or smartphone and test the audio quality first-hand.

Finally, a short trip down Regent Street took us to the Ham Yard Hotel and Superdry's AW15 press day. Held in the hotel's private bowling alley, our last event of the evening was a more interactive experience, although Tazz and I did make the most of remaining inactive for fifteen minutes, tucking into tasty sliders on sofas.

I'll admit Superdry weren't a brand I was particularly drawn to in the past. Casualwear emblazoned with slogans and logos wasn't exactly my cup of tea. But since Superdry have stepped into tailoring and smarter styles, I've come to appreciate this British label, enough to even loosen up and have a go with one of their t-shirts. (As if I had ever imagined I would look good in a t-shirt.) Our favourite items from the AW15 collection were the coats and men's jackets; Tazz preferring tailored, while I fancied leathers. Street vs chic - who styled it better?

Tazz Gault, Somerset House

However much Tazz and I prepare for fashion week, our outfits are ultimately a last-minute affair. No truer could be said of Tazz's floral ensemble - the co-ords she had spotted in Zara the evening before, and the camel French Connection coat had been delivered the day before that. Nevertheless this impromptu look, completed with nude high heels from Clarks, had come together beautifully. Even the neutral nuances were set harmoniously against the stone of Somerset House.