Every great open runs two shows at once. One is on the court or the fairway. The other is in the stands: the linen, the hats, the folded programmes, the Pimm’s sweating on a tray, the polite applause that carries a lot more attitude than the word polite suggests. People travel across continents to watch other people watch the game.
We kept that part, and left the match at the gate.
The Sunday Soirée – Blantyre Open borrows the culture of the sporting opens and leaves the sport out of it. There is no match to follow and no racquet to bring. What we took is the panache: the way a crowd dresses when it knows it is being looked at. The decorum that makes a long afternoon feel civilised. The small traditions, like the first Pimm’s of the day, the toast that waits for everyone to arrive, the nod across a lawn.
A good open and a good Sunday in Blantyre have more in common than you would think. Both ask you to show up properly, be good company and let the afternoon take its time. We are giving that habit a better reason to get dressed.
Two ways to arrive
Our lookbook is called Country club, and it gives you two ways in.
Come as the player. Think golf, padel or tennis: pleated skirts, polos, visors, a knit slung over the shoulders, clean court shoes. You dress as though you have a tee time, and nobody checks.
Come as the spectator. Think tailoring and linen: a blazer, a good hat, sunglasses you do not take off, loafers that have seen better lawns. You dress as the person who came for the atmosphere and stayed for the chin wag.
Both are right, and every era is welcome, from classic whites to nineties tour to whatever you think looks sharp now. Browse the full board on Pinterest and pick your side: https://pin.it/6aC4wC2vh
On Sunday 25 October, from 1:30pm to 10pm, The Palazzo becomes the place to be seen and the place to settle in. We are keeping the details back on purpose. Part of the pleasure of any open is finding out what is around the next corner, so you will do that when you arrive. Phase One Tickets are still available on Ulinzinga https://ulinzinga.com/ev-hddhllfh.
The Sunday Soirée – Blantyre Open is a cashless event proudly powered by FDH Bank Plc and Ekhaya Farms Foods, and is produced in partnership with Kweza Africa, STEM Malawi and BCA Travel & Tours.
