On opening night, the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival traditionally hosts a purple carpet reception prior to the first concert. Festival Director, Peter Martens explains that “when Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu performed with the SICMF in 2013, it was for the 10th festival. We pulled out all the stops and had luxurious purple carpets made to match the Arch’s purple robes. Every year since, the SICMF has laid out the carpets in the foyer and up the staircase leading to the main entrance of the Konservatoroum building. Patrons are encouraged to wear something purple, and the event has now become the Stellenbosch Konservatorium’s version of the Oscars!”
This year, Artistic Director Nina Schumann has extended the preconcert razzmatazz to the concert hall by involving two fashion designers and a troupe of dancers in the actual performance. Not only will the designers and dancers be enhancing Daniel Rowland’s electrifying performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons recomposed by Max Richter, but Ravel’s Bolero will see all the international festival artists introduced one by one in garments designed by ERRE Fashion for the ladies, whilst the men’s outfits will be adorned by ERRE’s fabric cutoffs designed by Roman Handt to give their otherwise bland concert attire a whole new look. And who better to lead on the world class instrumentalists than the dancers from Figure of 8 Dance Theatre.
Figure of 8 Dance Theatre was co-founded in 2014 by acclaimed dance artists Grant Van Ster and Shaun Oelf, with company manager Marie Vogts joining the team in 2018. FO8DT believes that through the artistic language of dance, young people are encouraged to become more self-aware, rise above challenges, and have the freedom to dream. Vogts says, “the collaboration with SICMF is incredibly exciting as it allows us to merge genres that are not often seen together. We are exploring the contrast between classical and modern forms, and how they combine to create a new genre or artistic language. Integrating this with fashion adds a three-dimensional aspect to the arts sector.”
ERRE Giving women a sense of Power Through the way they dress is a South African womenswear brand established in 2013 by design duo Carina Louw and Natasha Jaume. With a firm belief in the transformative nature of power dressing, ERRE (pronounced ‘air’) creates beautifully made trans-seasonal pieces that effortlessly meet the needs of a multifaceted lifestyle. With a clientele of highly empowered women such as KB Motsilanyane and Princess Charlene of Monaco, the label designs with an emphasis on powerful silhouettes and classic, figure-flattering styles.
In 2023 and 2024 Nina Schuman invited ERRE to dress the female performers at the SICMF. “We found that the ERRE design ethos, that celebrates the female form with the focus on bold silhouettes, made an impact during performances. Traditionally chamber music artists tend to wear all black clothing on stage. In dressing the female performers in bright reds, oranges and pinks, made them the focal point on stage.” Says Natasha Jaume.
Roman Handt, who designed the costumes in Cape Town Opera’s recent and critically acclaimed production of Aida, moved to Antwerp after graduating, where he gained valuable insight into the global fashion industry, eventually leading him to return to Johannesburg and design experimental menswear under his own brand. ERRE and Roman Handt have collaborated on projects in the past with a mutual passion in using discarded textiles that would usually end up in a landfill. Roman’s artistic style features vibrant colors and intricate patterns, reflecting his fashion background while challenging conventional notions of gender influenced by modern theories around posthumanism.
Roman says “collaboration between fashion designers is vital for fostering innovation and creativity within the industry. By working together, designers can blend diverse perspectives, skills, and ideas to create unique and innovative collections that might not emerge independently.”
This opening night extravaganza will take place at 20:00 on 4 July in the Endler Hall and will set the stage for the most innovative 10-day SICMF programme yet. The festival takes place from 4 to 13 July inclusive with a daily programme of coaching sessions, public master classes and student concerts culminating each day in the coveted evening faculty concerts. The last three days of the festival feature all 300 student participants in two vibrant symphony orchestras. Festival passes and tickets for individual concerts are available from Webtickets.