(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
Clairefontaine is well-known for having great paper, and I've been a fan for many years. It's not for everyone since they favor lined paper (options are very limited for non-lined paper), but if you don't mind lined paper, then Clairefontaine has you covered. The most recent notebook I've been using from them is the Clairefontaine Kenzo Collection notebook.
This is pretty standard fare in terms of notebooks go. It's a 64 page / 32 sheet thread-bound notebook that has smooth, ivory lined paper inside. And that's it! It's a simple, but great, product. There aren't front matter pages or label areas, and no page numbers or bookmark ribbons. Just a softcover notebook.
What makes this collection different from other Clairefontaine notebooks is the cover, which was designed by Mr. Kenzo Takada. There are three variants of the cover, all of which feature a beautiful abstract design set on a blue color theme. The variant you get is random, which is part of the fun. I'd be happy with any of the three designs, but I'm especially partial to the one I received. The different shades of blue wispy tendrils makes me think of flowers or quiet sea creatures. The only marketing you'll find on the outside of the cover is a gold "K3" symbol. Inside, the only marketing you'll find is on the back cover where the Clairefontaine name is printed along with the specifications of the notebook. Everything in between the two covers is lovely paper ready for you to write.
For the uninitiated, Clairefontaine paper is 90gsm and really smooth to the touch. There's a slight amount of texture and feedback on the nib when writing, but not much. Even though the paper is 90gsm, it feels and acts thicker. I've always loved this paper for how well it does at preventing show-through on the back side of the page. You can easily use both sides of the page even when using fairly wet or broad nibs. And, of course, the paper works beautifully with ballpoints, gel pens, pencils, and even some markers. It's just a really good common paper that is fairly accessible. The only downside is always the fact that it's difficult to get it in anything but lined. Clairefontaine is very opinionated when it comes to how paper should be ruled!
I'm always happy to pick up an extra Clairefontaine notebook because I know that I'll enjoy using the paper inside. The cool cover designs just makes it that much easier to push the purchase button. At $9.00 per notebook, it's a bit on the expensive side for 64 pages, but comparable to other brands that have similar paper quality. And, the three different designs are similar enough that I imagine the majority of folks would be happy with any one (or might want all three!), though I understand if this lack of specificity is a deal-breaker for some. There are plenty of other great Clairefontaine notebook choices in that case!
(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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