Arabella Pollen

Arabella Pollen, born on 22 June 1961, is an English fashion designer, journalist, and novelist. Her full name is Arabella Rosalind Hungerford Pollen. She is the daughter of Peregrine Michael Hungerford Pollen, a former chairman of Sotheby Parke-Bernet auction house, and Patricia Helen Barry. Pollen was born in Oxford, England, and was raised in Manhattan, New York City.

In 1981, Pollen established her own fashion design company named Arabella Pollen. Her designs have been characterized as "crisp, colourful clothes for the young social set." Her clientele included notable individuals such as Diana, Princess of Wales; Margaux Hemingway; and Marianne Faithfull. Between 1981 and 1994, her fashion company received eleven nominations for major awards in the industry.

A significant early contract for her company was designing staff uniforms for Virgin Atlantic Airways, launched in 1984. She designed suits in the airline’s signature "Virgin Red," a shade still associated with the brand today. In 1990, the textile company Courtaulds acquired a minority stake in her company, which was later increased to a majority shareholding. The fashion business was discontinued in 1994 following Courtaulds' withdrawal from the venture, although Pollen continued to serve as a design consultant for the company thereafter.

Transitioning to writing, Pollen adopted the pen name Bella Pollen in 1995. She authored five novels published between 1997 and 2011. Her third novel, "Hunting Unicorns" (2004), achieved commercial success and became a bestseller. Her subsequently published works include "Midnight Cactus" (2007), which was optioned by Paramount Pictures, and "Summer of the Bear" (2011), which was recognized as an Oprah summer pick and a Richard and Judy summer read. Pollen has also contributed articles and essays to various publications, including The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Spectator, The Observer, and Vogue.

Regarding her personal life, Pollen's first marriage was to art dealer Giacomo Dante Algranti in 1985. Together, they had two children, Jesse and Samuel. The marriage ended, and in 1995, she married David Macmillan, a grandson of the former British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan and an executive at Macmillan Publishers. With Macmillan, she has two additional children, Finn and Mabel.

Her published books include:

- "All about Men" (1997)

- "B Movies, Blue Love" (1999)

- "Hunting Unicorns" (2004)

- "Midnight Cactus" (2007)

- "The Summer of the Bear" (2011)

- "Meet Me in the In-Between" (2018)

Additional information about her background may be found through external profiles and her author website.