The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) entrusts its complete archives to the French Archives Nationales du Monde du Travail (ANMT). 

As part of an unprecedented initiative to promote research on the history of retail trade, the IADS has entrusted the entirety of its archives, collected since 1928, to the French State through the ANMT. Covering more than ninety years of original analyses, exchanges between members, and specialised documentation, this donation bears witness to the global evolution of the department store industry since 1928. This approach aims to promote research and public access to essential and previously unpublished historical documents, allowing the global evolution of the department store industry to be traced over nearly a century.

Founded at the initiative of six visionary European and American department stores during the interwar, the IADS established itself as the first international association dedicated to expertise sharing in the department store sector. Its archives trace the economic history of department stores and their profound impact on society, urban planning, and consumption patterns in the twentieth century.

This donation, formalised by the President of the IADS, Ms. Kamshim Lau, Executive Director of Lifestyle International Holdings Limited (which operates the SOGO department store in Hong Kong) in April 2024, is a testament to IADS’s commitment to research and preservation of the historical heritage of commerce. It continues the IADS’s efforts in research and information regarding the department store format, as evidenced by its recent partnership with the Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine for its exhibition The Saga of Department Stores from 1850 to the Present Day, held in Paris from November 6, 2024, to April 6, 2025.

Following meticulous work to verify the material condition, replace some original containers, and create an intake inventory conducted by the teams of the Archives Nationales du Monde du Travail (ANMT, an institution placed under the French Ministry of Culture), the list of documents representing a total of more than 40 linear metres of archives, is now available online on the institution’s website [link]. The documents can be consulted in the ANMT reading room in Roubaix (northern France), from Tuesday to Friday (visit their website: https://archives-nationales-travail.culture.gouv.fr/).

The richness of this documentary collection makes it possible to grasp the extent of department stores’ global impact. Detailed reports testify to their ability to adapt to numerous challenges, such as the emergence of shopping centres on the outskirts of cities in the 1960s, the rise of large food retailers, the development of e-commerce, and the evolution of relationships with brands and suppliers.

This historical reality and the fact that the format has constantly reinvented itself in the face of societal, commercial, and technological changes give even more value to the documentary collection now accessible to the public. The IADS archives contain, in addition to documents concerning its creation, internal analysis reports, specialised journals of great historical value, as well as audiovisual media (DVDs, videos, sound recordings), and artefacts.

Thanks to its partnership with the ANMT, the IADS now makes available to researchers all the minutes of its general assemblies from 1928 to 2000, as well as correspondence between its members and reports of regular thematic meetings on subjects as varied as marketing, human resources, logistics, private labels, or services. It is also possible to access the annual financial reports of more than a hundred department store companies, some dating back to 1928, such as A L’Innovation in Belgium (a founding member of the IADS since renamed Inno), Kaufhof in Germany, La Rinascente in Italy, Nordiska Kompaniet in Sweden (a founding member of the IADS since renamed NK), Le Printemps in Paris (a founding member of the IADS), all companies that have traversed the eras. It is also possible to rediscover names such as Sears-Roebuck or Proffitt’s in the United States, Allders in England, Au Bon Marché in Belgium, or Les Nouvelles Galeries in France.

The documentary collection also includes all the research conducted by two emblematic leaders of the association: Mr. Hrant Pasdermadjian, first secretary from 1936 to 1954 and author of The Department Store: its Origins, Evolution, and Economics, published in London in 1954, and Dr. James B. Jefferys, who remained in office from 1954 to 1984.

Finally, the IADS donation offers the possibility of rediscovering often complete sets of journals specialised in management and retail, including the emblematic RNL—Retail Newsletter, published from 1936, of which the IADS preserved all copies until 2006.

Ms Kamshim Lau, Executive Director of Lifestyle International (Hong Kong SAR) and President of the IADS, said: “IADS archives represent a remarkable record of retail evolution - preserving nearly 100 years of innovation, challenges, and transformation in department store history. By entrusting these invaluable records to ANMT, we’re ensuring this living legacy continues to educate and inspire future generations of retail leaders, researchers, and historians.Department stores have always been more than places to shop - they’re cultural institutions that reflect and influence society itself. These archives capture that remarkable journey, from the golden age of retail to today’s digital revolution. We’re honored to share this story with the world.”

The integration of these archives into the heritage collections of the French State, to be managed by the ANMT, thus offers researchers and the general public a detailed insight into the dynamic history of department stores. This partnership highlights the importance of historical preservation for understanding the retail sector’s impact on society. It reflects the IADS’s commitment to highlighting the evolution of the department store model and sharing the innovative spirit of its members with a global audience.

IADS archives are accessible by following this link. They can also be accessed from the Association website, www.iads.org.

About the Archives nationales du monde du travail (ANMT)

A national service under the Ministry of Culture, the ANMT’s mission is to collect, classify, preserve, communicate, and enhance the archives of actors in economic and professional life: companies, unions, works councils, professional organizations, associations working in the world of work.

The archived collections consist not only of written, handwritten, or printed documents but also photographs, posters, and other audio and visual documents.

The institution also has a strong policy of producing or hosting scientific and cultural events to enhance the history and heritage of the world of work for all audiences: exhibitions, symposiums, conferences, screenings, shows, workshops, games, guided tours...

Press contact: marine.huguet@culture.gouv.fr

Website: https://archives-nationales-travail.culture.gouv.fr/

Email address: anmt@culture.gouv.fr

About IADS

The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is the only expert body specialising globally in the department store retail format. Consisting of leading department store members worldwide, the Association serves as an international network, facilitating exchange and communication among its members. It also conducts research to address the current challenges of department stores and provide actionable insights for its members.

Today, IADS permanent members include Beijing Hualian Group (PRC), Bloomingdale’s (USA), Boyner (Turkey), Breuninger (Germany), Chalhoub Group (UAE), Centro Beco (Venezuela), El Corte Inglés (Spain), El Palacio de Hierro (Mexico), Falabella (Chile, Colombia and Peru), Galeries Lafayette (France), John Lewis & Partners (UK), Lifestyle International Holding (Hong Kong), Magasin du Nord (Denmark), Manor (Switzerland), The Mall Group (Thailand), TSUM Kyiv (Ukraine). These retail leaders are joined by a network of other department stores and retail companies as corresponding members.

Together, the IADS members, all key players in their respective markets, create a landscape of diverse business models and cultures, representing more than €40.5 billion in cumulated annual turnover, achieved through over 549 stores with 251,000 associates in 28 countries.

Through its activities and partnerships with NellyRodi, Retail Hub, RH-ISAC and Newstores, the Association constantly stays up to date on its members’ questions and challenges. It generates solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members, preparing them to face the future of the retail industry.

Read the full press release below:

Download the full press release, in English, here.

Read the full press release, in French, below:

Download the full press release, in French, here.