The City Dressed Up: Adelaide’s Golden Age of Department Stores

Please note: Adelaide Town Hall will have no public access during Adelaide Fashion Week from Monday 5 October to Sunday 11 October 2026.

Shown across two window displays in Adelaide Town Hall's Southern Gallery, 'The City Dressed Up' celebrates the era when Adelaide's department stores transformed shopping into spectacle and a cherished social occasion. Presented as part of Rundle Mall's Golden Jubilee celebrations and developed in partnership with author and John Martin's historian, Paul Flavel, the exhibition explores the role department stores played in shaping the social, cultural, and commercial life of the city throughout the twentieth century. Bringing together photographs, packaging, and personal stories, it invites visitors to rediscover glamorous showrooms, the magic of the toy department at Christmas, and the timeless experience of "going to town."