David Jones was founded in 1838 by Mr. David Jones himself, a Welsh-born immigrant who dreamed big. It has since revolutionised the way Australians shop, offering services and experiences like no other. Here, we catch up with Scott Fyfe, company CEO about the journey the business has undertaken and how it continues to inspire ahead of its 187th year of operation.
Social destinations and authors of memories for past, present and future generations, David Jones today operates 41 locations across Australia and New Zealand as well as davidjones.com in Australia. The iconic department store is trusted by the world’s most exclusive brands and is also the oldest continuously operating department store in the world still trading under its original name.
Back in 2021, the company completed a $400M refurbishment of its Sydney flagship store and it is now a world-class shopping experience across 12 floors, offering a unique curation of brands and services.
This investment into its portfolio continued with the refurbishment of three new floors of world-class fashion and home in their Bourke Street flagship in Melbourne. They also recently celebrated the re-opening of the Beauty Hall which was a significant milestone, following a more than $50M investment into transforming the historic Melbourne flagship store into the premier destination for luxury retail in the country.
The refreshed Bourke Street Beauty Floor has been designed with specific zones that showcase their offer across luxury skincare, makeup, fragrance and emerging categories such as hair and wellness. This zoning supports a seamless customer journey that inspires and encourages discovery, whilst the inclusion of an additional seven private beauty rooms on the floor supports their commitment to delivering services and immersive brand experiences like no other. David Jones is proud to have welcomed some new brands to complement its premium offering at its Bourke Street location, including Anastasia Beverly Hills, Rationale and Aesop.
“As part of our Vision 2025+ strategy, we are investing $250M across our business to deliver key transformation programs. Investing in innovation enables us to meet the changing needs of our customers and create seamless experiences wherever they choose to shop. Technology has been a key focus for us. In October, the David Jones app will launch and our goal is to double the size of our e-commerce business,” highlights Scott Fyfe, CEO of David Jones.
“We continue to invest in our retail network, which includes refurbishing our stores, right-sizing and where necessary, the consolidation of our footprint. By the end of 2028, we will have refurbished 40 per cent of our store footprint.”
Since its inception, David Jones has been at the forefront of innovation, constantly redefining what it means to shop and experience retail in Australia. It is in the company DNA to innovate and they have developed a clear strategy and Vision 2025+ is backed by a series of transformation initiatives to deliver game-changing products, services and experiences for customers.
“Our brand is anchored by extraordinary heritage and it remains our vision to ‘Inspire Like No Other.’ By putting people first and making decisions aligned with our company values, we are best placed to achieve our continuing ambitions.”
Expanding on this, Fyfe explains that they are always exploring new initiatives and that they recently entered into the retail media market with ‘David Jones Amplify’, which enables brand partners to connect with five million affluent customers across the David Jones network, providing inspiration as they shop both on and offline.
As the topic of conversation moves onto sustainability, it becomes clear that all who work at David Jones are passionate about making a difference for people, communities and for the environment as the brand continues on its journey to become one of the most responsible retailers in the world.
“We proudly support nine community organisations through longstanding partnerships and investment in local communities and initiatives across health & well-being and reconciliation resilience. In 2023, we signed on as a foundation member of Seamless Clothing Stewardship Scheme, taking a step forward to promote fashion circularity, a cornerstone of our sustainability ambitions,” comments Fyfe.
At the heart of David Jones’s strategy is their ability to curate sector-leading brands and their unique position as the ‘home of Australian fashion’ sets them apart, as many of the most influential Australian designers now available across the globe began their journey with them.
Their commitment in this space remains strong as they support the next generation of Australian design talent through various initiatives including the Indigenous Fashion Projects Pathway Program, the National Designer Award and the Australian Design Commission.
“Our brand is anchored by extraordinary heritage and it remains our vision to ‘Inspire Like No Other’ and it is this that continues to propel us forward. However we cannot achieve this without the dedication and commitment of our people. By putting people first and making decision aligned with our company values we are best placed to achieve our continuing ambitions,” concludes Fyfe.
