Hobbs owner fashions new retail concept to bring brands under one roof

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Feb 6, 2020

TFG London, the group behind mid-market brands including Hobbs, Whistles, Phase 8 and Damsel in a Dress, is bringing all brands into one store for the first time.

The new TFG London fascia has made its debut at Intu Lakeside, the out-of-town shopping centre in Essex that recently launched a £72 million leisure-led extension.

The 4,890 sq ft showcases highlights from the group’s fashion portfolio with dedicated brand areas and a modern, polished interior. It sits alongside the recently extended River Island and what will become Harrods’ first standalone beauty shop later this year.

TFG London, a branch of South Africa's Foschini Group, was badly hit by the collapse of House of Fraser in 2018, as the department store sold some of its brands. Meanwhile, Brexit uncertainty and low consumer confidence also led to flat revenue growth in Britain last year.

The new fascia signals a willingness to combine all three brands into one store in order to reduce its exposure to the tricky retail market. Operating one store for all four brands, rather than four individual stores also means a smaller business rates bill, a financial burden that contributed to many clothing companies running into the ground last year.

Kate Grant, regional managing director at intu, said: “Intu Lakeside has an affluent and growing catchment, making it the perfect location for the first TFG London store and its fantastic collection of aspirational brands.”

As mentioned, the shopping centre will be the home of Harrods’ new beauty concept, H Beauty, when it opens a 23,000 sq ft space in the second half of the year. The store will sell products from a range of luxury beauty brands alongside treatments and a coffee and cocktail bar.