IN CONVERSATION WITH JACKIE BURGER

Today, Jackie Burger is radiant; greeting guests as they file up the wooden staircase of the PJ Olivier Art Centre in Stellenbosch with warm hugs and affectionate hellos.

She has every right to be happy – the who’s who of South African fashion have driven from Cape Town to spend the morning celebrating the former ELLE magazine editor’s new business venture, Salon 58: an artistic re-interpretation of the Paris salons of old where women used to gather at stylish soirées to be entertained, inspired and informed.

The decision to leave her decade-long tenure at ELLE was a surprise, says Jackie, even to her. ‘It was emotional because at the time, I felt like I defined ELLE, and it defined me”.

But after a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in 2012 to visit her longtime muse Coco Chanel’s Parisian salon, Jackie says something seismic shifted within her.

“Sitting there, on that iconic staircase, I felt a deep sense of belonging and understanding. They say you can still feel her presence, and I promise you, it’s true.”

Before she ever knew that fashion would be her path, Jackie was obsessed with Chanel, who she describes as “a woman of great conviction who never needed to fit in with the norm”.

Most impressive was Mademoiselle Chanel’s ability to interpret everyday visual stimulation, like the black-and-white habits worn by the nuns who brought her up at a convent in Aubazine, into her signature, and often controversial, style.

“She knew that anything is possible and that’s such a core value for me,” says Jackie, who looks every bit the maverick style maven, dressed in a black, 50’s-style dress, vertiginous heels and ‘installation hair’.

That Jackie is an icon in her own right is evident by the line-up of calibre creatives (Alwijn Burger, Katherine Mary Pichulik, Lindiwe Suttle and Elaine du Plessis, to name just a few) who collaborated on Salon58’s launch.

“Peoples’ generosity has astounded me. It’s made me realise that I have many friends in this industry who want me to succeed,” says Jackie.

Success, it seems, is inevitable. In her role of salonnier, Jackie already has a host of clients who meet her for tête à têtes in the tastefully decorated salon that she uses as her office; while three group soirées are scheduled for winter – the first being in April.

Exploring intimate, sensual and intrinsically feminine themes like Allure, Bare and Noir, Jackie explains that each soirée will use fashion, food, décor and art to inspire women to reconnect with their true authentic selves.

“So many of us have forfeited who we really are, and what our true passions are, because of society’s need to measure value by our monetary success,” she explains, adding that her main aim is to provide a space where women can slow down and look at themselves and their lives from a different perspective.

It’s a journey Jackie is on too, as she breaks free of her conservative Afrikaans upbringing. “It’s difficult to undo years of conditioning, but now I’m embracing a completely different life philosophy. I feel like a little child that’s just opened Pandora’s box. It’s very beautiful and I’m in awe of all the possibilities.”

Words: Justine Stafford
Images: Niquita Bentor