Premium department store David Jones has entrusted its archives to the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, with some artefacts in the mix dating back to the 1800s.
The museum will house over 3,000 artefacts handed over by David Jones in an exhibition expected to run in 2026.
More than 50 of these artefacts were on display at a press conference on level 8 at David Jones in Sydney.
“For David Jones, this really does shape our legacy in the future and represents our commitment to preserving retail history,” David Jones CEO Scott Fyfe said.
“It has become a truly exemplary example of Australian retail, our past. From the date this unique brand started, its DNA was woven through society in the fabric of David Jones history and stories are here to be taught forever.”
The small exhibition today included the original poster of a 1948 Christian Dior runway show, as well as the original dinner menu that was served to the Queen during her visit to the Sydney store in 1954.
“This is a remarkable archive,” NSW Minister for the Arts John Graham said. “It contains a diverse range of material. From the programs from Christian Dior shows that were presented to David Jones in the 1940s, to the official program and menu for the state dinner for Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, hosted by David Jones.
“The archive also includes items from graphic designer Gordon Andrew and international designers Rachel Gilbert and Carla Zampatti.”
Graham also confirmed that the partnership marks the beginning of a five-year deal between David Jones and the Powerhouse Museum, which will see the creation of a $100,000 Australian Design Commission.
“It's a significant investment for both sides, fostering the next generation of designers in Australia,” he said. “You will see David Jones and the Powerhouse invest in cash towards an annual that supports the next generation of Australian designers to create new works that respond and engage to the archive you can see around us.”
The Powerhouse Museum CEO Lisa Havilah thanked David Jones for entrusting the museum with the archives.
“This is a job that we as a museum take incredibly seriously,” Havilah said. “And we will ensure that the David Jones legacy and those of the creatives, the makers, the designers are embedded into it is preserved, exhibited, researched and accessible in perpetuity.
“Keeping the David Jones archive alive, connected and relevant was something both David Jones and the Powerhouse were committed to from our very first conversation.
“Through the Australian Design Commission we will enable designers to reach into the archives, to create new work, creating new opportunities for the development of Australian design.”