All Whistles articles
With a focus on contemporary fashion, Whistles has an international presence, an uses personalisation to create a fuller multichannel offer.
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News
Phase Eight owner TFG completes £90m refinancing
TFG London, the owner of fashion brands Phase Eight, Whistles and Hobbs, has secured £90m in funding to support its growth strategy.
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News
Phase Eight owner poised to snap up Joules
Foschini, the owner of fashion retailers Phase Eight, Hobbs and Whistles, is close to buying bust counterpart Joules from administrators.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Whistles (SWOT)
Whistles has been repositioned as a stylish, contemporary brand with new owners The Foschini Group (TFG) keen to retain these credentials.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Whistles (Strategy)
Prior to the pandemic, robust sales growth had been restored to the UK market as renewed expansion got under way. Much of this centred on new concession development, with Whistles reportedly on the hunt for more such locations.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Technology strategy at Whistles
Whistles is a relatively young retailer in terms of its technology and it has less issues with legacy systems than many retailers. This is because it needed to invest in its own IT systems after it was separated from Aurora Fashions in 2008, following the buyout by former boss Jane Shepherdson.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Stores at Whistles
As part of Whistles’ earlier repositioning, the standalone network had been reduced as underperforming outlets were shuttered and a number of relocations to better premises have taken place in line with its upmarket stance.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Whistles (People)
Hobbs’ MD Justin Hampshire took on the role of group MD across TFG Brands from early 2021, following the departure of former boss Ben Barnett, before being appointed group chief executive in July 2021.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Whistles (Overview)
The luxury Whistles fashion brand has been owned by The Foschini Group (TFG), the South African retail giant that also owns Phase Eight and Hobbs since 2016.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Whistles (Financials)
Whistles saw its total sales edge up 3.8% to £73.7m in the year to 25 March 2023 (FY2022). The fashion retailer said it saw a resurgence of in-store shopping behaviour with store footfall continuing an “upward trend”.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Ecommerce at Whistles
Whistles will be using personalisation and customer relationship management to improve its conversion rate going forward.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Customer and marketing at Whistles
Whistles is positioned as a credible premium offering, sitting between the high street and the designer end of the market. There is a clear focus on high quality and strong design that the company itself refers to as ‘effortless’ fashion.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Supply chain at Whistles
Whistles’ supply chain strategy is geared towards supporting its international operations as well as the online business. A major focus is to increase the responsiveness of the supply chain, in order to pull back items that are not selling well and replace them with pieces that will sell.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Whistles (Outlook)
Whistles launched its kids wear offer in April 2022 (FY2022). The collection, which comprises of 31 pieces, is inspired by the brand’s existing womenswear collections. On its website, it states “We’ve selected our favourite adult styles to transform your little ones into ‘mini mes’; after all, you’re likely to be their first style muse.”
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News
Hobbs boss to take dual role as Whistles MD steps down
Whistles boss Helen Williamson is to take early retirement after nearly six years with the retailer.
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Be Inspired
Analysis: Seven women that are shaping the future of retail
To celebrate International Women’s Day this Sunday, we take a look at the women who are changing the retail sector.
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News
TFG management reshuffle as Hobbs’ Meg Lustman exits
The Foschini Group London is reshuffling its management team as Hobbs chief executive Meg Lustman exits.
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Analysis
The disruptors: The bridal businesses catering for millennials
The once stagnant bridal market is changing fast. In Retail Week’s latest instalment of ‘The Disruptors’ series, we profile the retailers shaking up bridalwear.
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News
Whistles losses shrink but sales remain flat
Whistles has reported shrinking losses on flat sales during its first year under new ownership.
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News
Hobbs bought by Phase Eight and Whistles owner Foschini
Phase Eight and Whistles owner The Foschini Group (TFG) has acquired upmarket womenswear retailer Hobbs for an undisclosed sum.
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News
Breakfast briefing: Damsel in a Dress and Irish sales
Retail news round-up: Foschini group acquires Damsel in a Dress, and Irish retail sales down at Christmas