Who owns Whistles?
Whistles is owned by TFG (South Africa, JSE: TFG), which has owned the brand since 2016.[1]
This ownership is reported in official statements but has not yet been matched to a regulatory filing.
Evidence: TFG Integrated Annual Report 2026, The Foschini Group Limited. Last checked .
Key facts
- Current owner
- The Foschini Group Limited reported
- Owned since
- Owner HQ
- 🇿🇦 South Africa, Cape Town
- Origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Category
- Retail › Specialty retail › Fashion retail
- Parent ticker
- JSE: TFG
- Last verified
- · 1 sources
About Whistles
Whistles is a British contemporary womenswear brand for women over 30, known for timeless pieces with an intelligent sense of design. TFG's report lists its acquisition in 2016 as part of building TFG London, and the brand page counts 102 outlets and concessions.
Ownership timeline of Whistles
Where Whistles sits in TFG
Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.
Open the full TFG ownership tree →
See the full TFG brand portfolio (34) →
Other brands owned by TFG
TFG controls 34 brands on Brandtree, 34 of them in retail.
Also in retail
Other brands in fashion retail, and who owns them
TFG has more brands in fashion retail on Brandtree than any other owner: 20 of 40.
| Brand | Owner | Owner based in |
|---|---|---|
| Earthaddict | Truworths | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| Ackermans | Pepkor | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| Earthchild | Truworths | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| Ginger Mary | Truworths | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| Hey Betty | Truworths | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| Identity | Truworths | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| Inwear | Truworths | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| LTD | Truworths | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
About the owner: TFG
TFG is a publicly listed company headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, founded in 1924. Brandtree records 34 brands under its control, and it is listed as JSE: TFG.
The Foschini Group is a South African retailer founded by George Ivan Rosenthal in 1924, whose first store opened in Johannesburg on 27 November 1925. Its 2026 integrated report counts 4,914 stores and 40 brands, reported in three segments: TFG Africa, TFG London, built on Phase Eight, Whistles, Hobbs and White Stuff, and TFG Australia, built on the Retail Apparel Group bought in 2017. The Bash omnichannel platform sells across the group.
🇬🇧 Whistles and other British brands
Brandtree records a controlling owner for 543 brands that began in the United Kingdom. 282 of them (52%) are now controlled by a company headquartered in another country, Whistles among them.
- Office — Truworths 🇿🇦
- Space NK — Ulta Beauty 🇺🇸
- A.1. — Kraft Heinz 🇺🇸
- ASOS Design — ASOS 🇬🇧
- Aero — Nestlé 🇨🇭
- Air Partner — Wheels Up 🇺🇸
Frequently asked questions
Who is the parent company of Whistles?
The parent company of Whistles is TFG, a publicly listed company headquartered in South Africa.
Is Whistles British or South African?
Whistles originated in the United Kingdom, but it is owned today by TFG, which is headquartered in South Africa. So Whistles is a British-origin brand under South African ownership.
Since when has TFG owned Whistles?
TFG has owned Whistles since 2016.
Is Whistles still owned by TFG?
Yes. As of 14 October 2026, Whistles is still owned by TFG. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Sources (1) & corrections
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.
- [1] TFG Integrated Annual Report 2026 — The Foschini Group Limited, Annual report; retrieved 14 October 2026.
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