There are no hard feelings between Justin Maclean and his former employer. In fact, he has more than 600 items of memorabilia to prove it.
Justin Maclean’s late grandmother, Winifred, believed that quality meant longevity in goods she bought at Melbourne’s upmarket department store, Georges.
The collection also includes Winifred’s beloved black heels by the brand Rayne, the shoemaker of the late Queen Elizabeth II.Georges department store, Collins Street entrance, in 1986.Georges itself has not survived but its spirit lives on in Maclean’s collection, which he will exhibit for the first time in the
He owns a silver plate teapot from the store restaurant, the Regency Room, and Richard Ginori plates made for the Georges centenary in 1980, featuring the store motto “Quod facimus, Valde facimus” .He bought an exquisite, handmade gold-patterned pair of 1930s heels, branded Georges Pty Ltd, for about $60 at a National Trust shop. One quirky item is a green 1960s ankle length men’s kaftan. Maclean says it’s “bloody horrendous” but “of its time”.Maclean has vivid memories of Georges.
McEvoy and Maclean are seeking a permanent home for Maclean’s collection, preferably in an institution, which can display the items.