Saint + Sofia’s Founder and CEO Talks Diversity, Motherhood, and Business

When Dessislava and Malcolm Bell started Saint + Sofia after the birth of their second child, their goal was to create a fashion brand that had fairness, quality, creativity, and sustainability at its core. Five years in, and they are proud to have built a company that is rooted in those values and powered by a team of talented, resourceful, and diverse individuals, with women leading the way in both senior and junior roles.

Diversity at Saint + Sofia

Our incredible team is made up of 11 different nationalities including British, Italian, Indonesian, Slovakian, Polish, Dutch, and Bulgarian. “We’ve always wanted to build a diverse team. It not only enriches our work life, but reflects the diversity of our customers,” Dessi explained. 

Our team also brings a wealth of varied industry experience, which helps to broaden our thinking, as well as spot opportunities. Not all of us came from a career in fashion but we bring a unique skillset that helps to push the brand into exciting directions. “This is a hugely valuable asset that has helped us make Saint + Sofia an inclusive and collaborative workplace that is open to new ideas.” If you needed proof that there’s always time to try a new path in life, this is it.

What Makes a Saint + Sofia Employee?

“Being part of a small team means that everyone matters, and therefore the ability to deliver for the team is key. Saint + Sofia is made up of self-motivated individuals who harbour a team mindset and who understand the importance of their impact. We also look for those who live our values of fairness, creativity, quality and sustainability in and outside the office.”

Motherhood and Business

At Saint + Sofia, we are big believers in supporting women’s career progression through policies that both recognise and reward achievement but also support women’s life choices. We have a six month fully-paid maternity leave policy and understand the importance of flexibility in order to create a happy workplace.

A Genuine Love For Work and The Team

“Work, like anything, should be joyful and provide opportunities for achievement and personal growth. So whether that’s designing new products, improving the efficiency of our operations, creating a new marketing campaign, or connecting with customers – there are opportunities to be creative and learn in all aspects of business.

“This creativity is what I love most about Saint + Sofia. We have a saying which is ‘We like to have fun, but the work gets done’. This really is core to the kind of place Saint + Sofia is.”