Cape Town – A young girl’s mother stops at CNA on the way to ballet lessons. The girl pages through a copy of Vogue. It would prove a moment of inspiration.
In adulthood, she works in clothing retail, launching brands in South Africa and eventually ascends to one the highest positions of local fashion commentary as editor of the South African edition of Elle. That all ended last year.
Style icon Jackie Burger resigned as editor at the end of 2013, bringing to a close an era in fashion magazine publishing.
The magazine and linked title Elle Decoration continue under the editorship of French-born Emilie Gambade.
But at 56, Burger is entering a new phase of her life, one both adventurous and achievable with experience. Last Saturday she opened Salon 58 at the PJ Olivier Arts Centre at 3 Blom Street in Stellenbosch.
Taking its name from her birthday, 5/8/58, the salon will be the base from where she will dispense fashion advice, propagate slow fashion and host soirees and tete-a-tetes. The inspiration for the salon came from Coco Chanel’s salon in France, which Burger visited in 2012.
At a gathering last Saturday, Burger showed what her salon could offer: hats, wooden sunglasses, bright kimonos and inspired jewellery. After the rush and social media hype quietened a little, we met Burger for a chat.
“It’s been a rollercoaster,” said Burger. “I have been mentally preparing for this for a while. I began business coaching three years ago to assist this re-invention. I have been having a personal conversation, thinking about what I can bring that is pioneering.”
Leaving her influential position at Elle must have been no easy decision. She felt she could not give anymore to the role.
“When (the new owners) bought Elle I felt it was the perfect time to conclude my term... Elle was a brand close to my heart... I thought about whether I was ready to embark on my own business. People thought I was retiring because I’m 56. I’m only starting a new chapter in my life.”
She attributes her drive to the beginnings of her career.
“I entered the marketplace in the early 1980s. We had a lot to prove. This propels me to success, it’s a fighter spirit.”
Visualising her ideas for Salon 58, she hopes it will become a place of collaboration and mentorship for designers and others in fashion.
“I could be involved in mentorship programmes. I had wonderful mentors. I mentored in my time at Elle as a style reporter and through the Elle Rising Star competition. They (the mentorees) are now in industry.”
Burger feels she combines a risk-taking energy with the wisdom of age.
“I’m going to keep this open and organic, I want to see what this will morph into. It is a salon, it’s a meeting place.”
Turning her attention to her inspiration in Coco Chanel, she points out her countryside upbringing and her memory of flipping through Vogue as a girl.
Then in 2012 while still working for Elle, she visited the Chanel salon at 31 Rue Cambon in Paris. “It was voyeuristic. That is what Coco was about. When I got to the salon, I felt like I had reached my destination. As I opened the doors, it spoke to me.”
After she left France, she started researching this concept of a salon and the idea grew.
Stellenbosch may not have been the most central choice, but Burger is comfortable there.
“It makes sense to me. I love Stellenbosch. I went to university here. At the PJ Olivier Centre, I feel that creativity is tangible. I am curating slow fashion. It’s a place to take a coat off a hanger and look in the mirror.”
She promises no quick-fixes for your style needs. She opts for organic processes.
“I don’t believe in make-overs. I don’t understand it. We could have a series of sessions to find your aesthetic DNA. I will guide you; there is no pressure. All of it starts with a conversation.”
For the salon’s collection she is working on hats with designers Simon and Mary and jewellery with Katherine-Mary Pichulik. She will develop other collaborations based on the profile of her customers.
l Full membership is R4 400 for the year giving members a place at eight soirees and one tete-a-tete. Tickets to a single soiree will cost around R550. Tete-a-tetes are by appointment Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Call 082 575 6831 or e-mail jackie.burger @salon58.co.za. Follow Burger on Twitter at @jackie_burger_.