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.

Danielle Romeril AW16

As my fellow style snappers stormed Tate Britain in anticipation of Topshop's star-studded guest list, I escaped around the corner to the somewhat calmer Danielle Romeril presentation at the Chelsea College of Arts. The set was minimalist, in which a laser grid of claret, blue, green and black ribbons had been weaved throughout the otherwise blank show space, to form a geometric backdrop to the AW16 collection. Featuring a medley of fabrics, fine embroidery, and a selection of colours that reminds me curiously of football kits, Danielle Romeril cleverly arranges loosely-fitted garments into structural silhouettes through the distinct use of cut-outs, some of which are accentuated by zip detailing.

Flower crowns and fashion bloggers

When you acknowledge the style blogging community is largely populated by women, it's not unsurprising I'm often the only male blogger in attendance at blogger events. That said, I can't think of too many guys who would have readily accepted an invitation to design flower crowns and screen-printed tote bags - myself included. But after Paige kindly invited me along to My Chelsea Hotel for a summer style workshop, I found myself having as much fun as the ladies in constructing my own floral headpiece. (Even if I did attract more than a few side-ward glances on the return walk up King's Road.)

The intimate workshop celebrated the perfect partnership between My Chelsea Hotel and print designer Silken Favours, whose beautiful bee design cushions in turn reflect the partnership between the My Hotels Group and environmental charity Friends of the Earth, specifically their "Bee Cause" campaign to support the conservation of bees. 50% profit from the sale of the cushions is donated to the campaign, and My Chelsea Hotel has even installed a beehive on its roof.

With environmental responsibility clearly at the heart of the afternoon's activities, the gathering of bloggers were treated to a craft workshop with textile designer Zeena, who offered us the opportunity to screen print our own tote bags with a Silken Favours design, followed then by a flower crown masterclass with Miss Victoria's Floral Emporium and her stunning selection of fresh blooms. I especially relished in creating the floral headpiece, which required a steady hand and a keen eye for pattern and colour. It was almost disappointing there wasn't a wedding that weekend to show off the handiwork perched atop my quiff.