Ups, downs and gowns of 175 years of DJs Suzi Meyer, left, Maie Dionisio and Annabel Baker prepare yesterday for the David Jones 175th anniversary exhibition on the seventh floor of the Sydney store. NOT even the threat of storms will dampen David Jones chief executive Paul Zahra's celebratory mood tonight. The department store will celebrate its 175th anniversary with a gala event and exhibition opening in its Sydney flagship store, attended by dignitaries, celebrities and designers. "I think it's a great milestone," Mr Zahra said. David Jones is certainly placed in the hearts and minds of all Australians. We are the oldest department store in the world still trading under its original name. We're older than Harrods, Selfridges and Saks, who we look up to, which is pretty amazing. We've survived through two world wars, the Great Depression, the GFC and many recessions. The department store business goes in swings and roundabouts. Mr Zahra has had his fair share of both since taking the reigns as chief executive in 2010 after a sexual harassment scandal claimed his predecessor Mark McInnes. Mr Zahra describes those earliest moments as "daunting and excruciating." When I was appointed in June 2010, there were two realities for me. Firstly, the reality of running a public company and the responsibility that came with it. But, equally, knowing that we were three years away from the 175th anniversary," he said. We were doing it tough just post the GFC and, in my mind, it was important that the company and the country celebrated such an iconic brand. While Mr Zahra wouldn't divulge the cost of the celebration, it appears relatively low-key considering the occasion, and he agrees it is far from extravagant. The archival exhibition is open to the public for the next month from Saturday, while another investment was the commissioning and publishing of a history. Mr Zahra believes that this investment in consumers is key. When I think about the history of David Jones, we only shine when consumer sentiment is in good shape, and it's not still, we haven't seen that change. But the good times will come back. Mr Zahra introduced his plan in March last year to drag the retailer into the digital age while still improving the in-store customer experience. "I often say we've done 10 years worth of work in 10 months, and that's true," Mr Zahra said. While we go through the peaks and troughs of retailing it's a long game and I think David Jones had definitely demonstrated its ability to adapt and change with the times. It's a constant evolution. But we'll definitely come out the other end.