Malcolm Bell (entrepreneur)
Malcolm Bell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Malcolm Stuart Bell December 1981 (age 44) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | co-founder, Zaggora |
| Spouse | Dessi Bell |
| Parent | Sir Stuart Bell |
Malcolm Stuart Bell (born December 1981) is a British entrepreneur and business executive best known as the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Saint + Sofia, a London-based fashion brand recognized for its sustainable design and fair production practices. Saint + Sofia revenues are £30 million a year as of March 2025.[1][2]
Prior to founding Saint + Sofia, Bell was known for launching Zaggora in 2011, a fitness and fashion startup that gained global media attention for its “HotPants” product which sold over 1,5 million units in over 100 countries and was valued at over £100 million.[3][4][5]
He appears in a case study taught at Harvard Business School called 18 Months In A Startup.[6]
He has received awards including the Orange National Business Awards in 2012.[7][8] He has been a speaker at various events including TED (conference), Barclays, Facebook, Saïd Business School and Retail Week.[9][10] He also mentors aspiring entrepreneurs through the New Entrepreneurs Foundation and Seedcamp.[11][12][13]
Biography
Bell was born in December 1981,[14] to British politician Sir Stuart Bell.[15]
Controversies
In 2002, Malcolm Bell was jailed for stealing £8,000 from his father's colleagues. Malcolm Bell, the son of Stuart Bell, the MP for Middlesbrough, took blank cheques from the office of George Galloway while working for his father as a researcher in the House of Commons.[16][17]
Career
Bell began his career in business and technology before turning his focus to fashion and e-commerce. In January 2020, he co-founded Saint and Sofia with his wife, Dessi Bell, combining their expertise in fashion, logistics, and digital marketing.[18][19]
Prior to founding Saint and Sofia, Bell was known for launching Zaggora, a fitness and fashion startup that gained global media attention for its “HotPants” product and was sold in over 100 countries.[20]
References
- ^ "Best fashion stores and brands to know in 2025". The Independent. 23 September 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
- ^ Edmonds, Lizzie (23 May 2013). "'Sweat and tweets made our sports clothing into £100m hot". The Standard. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- ^ "'Sweat and tweets made our sports clothing into £100m hot property'". The Evening Standard. 23 May 2013.
- ^ "A start-up that is fit for purpose". Financial Times.
- ^ "How to make your millions on Facebook". SME Insider.
- ^ "18 Months in a Startup: Zaggora.com - Case - Faculty & Research - Harvard Business School". www.hbs.edu. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- ^ "Zaggora HotPants Founder Malcolm Bell Says He Owes Success To His Wife". Huffington Post. 6 November 2012.
- ^ "'Sweat and tweets made our sports clothing into £100m hot property'". Evening Standard. 23 May 2013.
- ^ "2016 Conference". Oxford Inspires.
- ^ "Disney failed, and here's why you should too". Hot Topics.
- ^ Gaudoin, Tina. "Shifting to High-Tech Gear". WSJ.
- ^ "Dessislava Bell and Malcolm Bell: Zaggora". Startups. 18 September 2013.
- ^ "Malcolm Bell". Seedcamp.
- ^ "Malcolm Stuart BELL - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ^ Langdon, Julia (14 October 2012). "Sir Stuart Bell obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ^ "MP's son jailed for Commons theft". BBC News. 7 March 2002. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
- ^ "MP's son admits theft charge". 2002. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
- ^ Tobin, Lucy (10 March 2025). "The inside story behind fashion brand Saint and Sofia's meteoric rise". The Standard. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- ^ "Victoria Starmer looks undeniably royal in Chanel-style jacket - shop the look". HELLO!. 29 July 2025. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- ^ "Dessi Bell: I 'Googled up' my hotpants business Zaggora". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 4 December 2012.