British fashion brands Hobbs, Whistles and Phase Eight are experiencing IT disruptions after a cyberattack targeted systems operated by their parent company, TFG London. The incident has affected online shopping services, although physical stores remain open.
TFG London, the British subsidiary of South African retail group The Foschini Group, discovered the security incident on October 11, 2026. The company publicly disclosed the attack on October 13, confirming that several important IT systems were still unavailable.
Following the discovery, TFG activated its cybersecurity incident response and business continuity procedures. External security specialists were brought in to investigate the intrusion, contain potential threats, and assist with restoring affected services.
Customers attempting to shop through the three fashion brands’ websites may encounter unavailable features, while online orders and returns could experience delays. The company apologized for the disruption and said it would provide further updates as its investigation progresses.
Despite the technical difficulties, Hobbs, Whistles and Phase Eight stores have continued trading. TFG also confirmed that its other British brands, Inside Story and White Stuff, were not affected.
The group’s operations in Africa and Australia remain unaffected because they operate on separate IT infrastructure.
A significant concern is whether attackers accessed customer information during the incident. TFG has not confirmed any theft of personal data, but investigators are examining whether sensitive records were compromised.
The retailer has reassured customers that it currently has no reason to believe payment information is at risk. Payment processing is handled by a third-party provider, providing separation from some of the affected systems.
TFG has reported the incident to the relevant UK authorities and said it will notify affected individuals or organizations if investigators establish that sensitive information was exposed.
The company has not disclosed how the attackers gained access, whether ransomware was involved or which systems were initially compromised. No cybercriminal organization has publicly claimed responsibility for the attack.
The incident follows another cybersecurity breach affecting British online fashion retailer ASOS, which recently confirmed unauthorized access to customer information after an employee’s credentials were compromised through social engineering. Swedish fashion company H&M is also investigating separate allegations involving the ShinyHunters hacking group.