Woman of Substance
JACKIE BURGER
Fashion maven and editor of ELLE SOUTH AFRICA, Jackie Burger is a rare creature. Striking, extraordinarily put together and a person of considerable depth, she looks as though she belongs in Paris. But it is the Cape that nurtures, sustains and means ‘home’ to her
Have you always lived here?
In the Cape, yes. I’m a country girl, from the Boland. I lived in Robertson, McGregor and in the Hex River Valley growing up and I studied in Stellenbosch. I’ve always been on the outskirts.
Are you still?
Yes. I live in Strand (about an hour away along the coast) and commute into town for work.
Isn’t that a hassle?
I could view it that way and many do but instead of abusing the time by becoming impatient and aggressive, I use it to generate awareness. It’s easy to become numbed by routine living in a city. I have the opportunity to watch the sun rise over the mountain, to pass under a plane that’s just taken off (and wonder where it’s headed), see a child playing in a bright red jacket or brave little birds battling the elements on reeds along the roadside. It’s disposable time where I listen to Buddhist teachings or books and allow ideas to stew. It also reminds me of my childhood trips into Cape Town, coming here was a big event and I still feel that familiar anticipation approaching town.
Tell me more about Cape Town back then.
It was a very different city. The centre of everything was Adderley Street and the Parade. There was a massive bazaar, Malay trading territory, in front of the City Hall where the car park is now. I remember the heady scent of spices in the air, carts filled with buttons and the most amazing ribbons and fabrics – it was magical, a bustle of smells, textures and people. We’d start our day there and then go to Greatermans for lunch and a fashion show. I loved the paradox of the loose, energetic bazaar with the refined and elegant atmosphere of Greatermans – those beautiful doors opened by a liveried doorman – it was like leaving one world for another. Both equally enchanting. That easy mix of experiences was typical.
Have we lost that magic?
We no longer have the bazaar and Greatermans and for some reason the inner city has become poor in perception. When concerts are planned, for example, they’re most often in Kirstenbosch or at the Waterfront. We have the beautiful Company Gardens in the city surrounded by historic buildings but no one is drawn there. Some of the truth of the city is hidden and with it a lot of the magic.
Why is this?
We’re not honouring the culture and history of Cape Town enough. This is the Cape of Good Hope, it’s optimistic and abundant but we’re not realising it. Too much is politicised or halted by the nega-tivity of the past to the degree that we’re not allowing true democracy – the mix of cultures and experiences – to be accepted and enjoyed. We’re obsessed with the past and don’t stand still enough in the now to realise what we have.
What makes this home?
I belong here. My ancestors and language (Afrikaans) are here. I see snapshots of my culture and heritage around me which brings with it a sense of belonging, especially out in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek where I go for good food, wine and conversation. The Cape also nurtures me – mind, body and soul – and when something feeds all your aspects, you’re home. You can grow and become strong. I also believe that this is my destiny.
What do you do if you have a bit of spare time in the city?
I don’t have much but I make time to go to the Planetarium every quarter to prepare for the stargazing I do on trips to my house in Prince Albert in the Klein Karoo. Just being here is good – taking in the different aspects. The creative vibe of Long Street, the school mums coming out of Vredehoek, the industry along the N1, students half asleep in their cars, the holiday vibe over Kloof Nek and along the ocean, the Bo-Kaap and of course the extraordinary nature cradling it all.
What’s the first thing you notice when you come home from abroad?
Bad shoes at the airport! I’m a visual person, work in fashion and tend to be coming home from Paris so I’m sensitised to such things. If I lived anywhere else I may be so seduced by the outer that I wouldn’t have to go deeper. Good shoes are important but they’re not everything.
What would your advice to visitors be?
Look beyond all the offerings – wine, food, tours. Walk, feel the heartbeat, be quiet and observe. Allow yourself to accept the truth of the place. Sit in the Gardens and watch a bergie feeding the pigeons or contemplate the legend of the devil smoking his pipe as the clouds come in over the mountain.
RELAX
The vast Karoo landscapes of Prince Albert
SUNDAY
A leisurely cycle on my Schwinn Cruiser
DRIVE
Into nature with my partner and his lovingly restored Land Rover
SOUND
Classics on CD, a boutique music shop in
Stellenbosch
WINE
Regular excursions to wine estates to
sample new releases
MEMORY
Crisp whitewashed walls in spring in the Boland; labourers’ cottages with abundantly colourful washing lines
TRADITION
My semi in the Strand, circa 1926 with an original Cape Dutch gable
VIEW
The majestic Swartberg mountain range
PASTIME
Antique hunting and stoep-sitting in the Karoo
SEASON
Languid autumn daze
SPACE
Meditation
For Jackie’s top shopping spots, see our A-list.