David Jones and Powerhouse have announced the donation of the David Jones archive to the Powerhouse – preserving and amplifying the retailer’s 186-year-old history and marking the beginning of a partnership with the 143-year-old museum.

The partnership will also see David Jones and the Powerhouse invest into the next generation of Australian designers by establishing the David Jones and Powerhouse Australian Design Commission. The annual commission will invest $300,000 into Australian designers over three years to create new work that engages with the David Jones archive.

NSW Arts Minister John Graham made the announcement during an exclusive event held at The Gallery on Level 8 of David Jones’ Elizabeth Street Flagship for 120 guests including Powerhouse Trustees and David Jones executives, partners, ambassadors and team members both past and present.

Powerhouse curators transformed The Gallery into an exhibition titled ‘Like No Other – Celebrating an Australian Icon,’ providing guests a preview of select pieces from the nationally significant archive and objects from the Powerhouse Collection.

The archive, which features a vast collection of preserved artefacts and documents dating back to the early 1800s, were uncovered by the David Jones team in its Silverwater Distribution Centre in Sydney; revealing several pieces that showcase the retailer’s remarkable history and enduring impact on Australian identity, thought and opinion.

“David Jones shares a foundation of innovation and progress with the Powerhouse and a commitment to preserving and celebrating the stories that have helped shape our communities' cultural fabric,” says David Jones CEO Scott Fyfe.

“As we explored our archives, we became immersed in the inspiring stories that have shaped David Jones as an iconic Australian institution; each artefact and document telling a tale of heritage, innovation, and our commitment to excellence.

“Our partnership with the Powerhouse and the donation of our remarkable archive is significant and represents our commitment to the preservation of retail history and the wider cultural landscape. Already boasting historical fashion, decorative arts, and the design archives of esteemed mid-century designers, we believe the Powerhouse is the ideal custodian for the David Jones archive to be preserved and forever celebrated.”

The David Jones archive of more than 3,000 objects is rich in incredible Australian and international design and fashion material, from packaging and retail design to programs from Christian Dior shows that were presented at David Jones in the 1940s and 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 in 1954.

“David Jones and the Powerhouse Museum are both iconic Australian institutions that are deeply embedded into our collective memories,’ says Powerhouse CEO Lisa Havilah.

“As Australia’s leading museum of applied arts and applied sciences, the Powerhouse is custodian to Australia’s most important collections of applied arts, and the David Jones archive will extend the significance of our collections for our audiences and communities.

“When we discovered that David Jones was looking for a home for their extensive archive, we proposed the Powerhouse and began a discussion and plan for how the Powerhouse will commit to preserving, sharing and amplifying the David Jones story.

“Through the David Jones Powerhouse Australian Design Commission, we will continue encouraging local creative practice and promulgating design excellence in Australia. This new award demonstrates our shared commitment to not only keeping Australian design history alive but also connecting it for future generations.”

The exhibition in The Gallery also documents and celebrates the innovation and talent of David Jones staff over many decades including Carrie ‘Cissie’ Lowry, a David Jones employee for 56 years, almost 40 of which she spent as buyer of international fashion, eventually specialising in millinery.

It also features significant figures in Australian arts and design, from photographers Max Dupain and Olive Cotton to graphic designer Gordon Andrews, fashion designer Rachel Gilbert and the legendary Australian icon Carla Zampatti.

“It’s impossible to imagine Sydney without the Powerhouse Museum or David Jones – institutions with a combined 328 years of history in this city,’ said NSW Arts Minister John Graham.

“It is an honour for the Powerhouse to be entrusted with such a rich archive dating back to the early 1800s that features the work of graphic designer Gordon Andrews and fashion designers Rachel Gilbert and Carla Zampatti.

“The Powerhouse Museum’s guiding legislation of 1945 states it will work towards the ‘promotion of craftsmanship and artistic taste by illustrating the history and development of the applied arts.’ Today’s collaboration with David Jones perfectly fits that objective.”

David Jones customers and the general public will be given the opportunity to view these historic pieces at the Elizabeth Street Flagship from today until 25 August in The Gallery on Level 8.

Image: David Jones Art Gallery during Sweden at David Jones in 1954. Courtesy Embassy of Sweden in Australia./ The Conversation

Clémence Carayol

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