My Journey...

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​Hi, I'm Belma Vardar Kumar—but most people call me Bella.

I'm an award-winning, internationally published artist, educator, mentor, and qualified CBT practitioner. I'm also the founder of Bstyle Academy and Her Voice Community Project, where I create opportunities for women to learn, grow, and rediscover their confidence through education, creativity, and personal development.

My professional journey began in the finance sector, where I developed a strong foundation in business, customer service, and problem-solving. This experience gave me the confidence and business skills to establish my own businesses in fashion and later photography.

While running my businesses, I continually invested in my own education, balancing work with ongoing professional development. I completed professional fashion training and had the privilege of learning from respected industry professionals, well-known TV presenters, and fashion experts. Through workshops, specialist training, and mentorship—including professionals who have worked with global brands such as Chanel, Tom Ford, and Nike—I continued to develop my creative, technical, and business skills throughout my career.

Over the years, I have welcomed TV presenters, designers, Olympic athletes, actors, musicians, and creatives into my studio, creating powerful portrait photography that tells their unique stories. I have also worked with clients from ITV and Channel 4, while my photography has been published in international magazines.

As my career evolved, my focus expanded beyond creating portraits to helping people recognise their strengths, build confidence, and achieve personal growth through mentoring, education, and creativity.

Building on everything I had learned and experienced throughout my career, I established Bstyle Academy, where I deliver hands-on workshops, practical training, and mentoring programmes that combine creativity with personal growth. I also founded Her Voice Community Project to provide women with a safe and supportive environment where they can build confidence, improve wellbeing, develop practical life skills, and create positive, lasting change.

I also worked closely with the British Horse Society's Changing Lives Through Horses programme, supporting vulnerable children and young people through equine-assisted activities. As a trustee and volunteer, I saw first-hand how horses can help build confidence, resilience, and emotional wellbeing. I also hold a BHS First Aid Certificate.

Whether through Bstyle Academy, Her Voice Community Project, mentoring, workshops, CBT sessions, photography, or equine-assisted activities, my mission is to create safe, welcoming, and empowering spaces where people can discover their strengths, believe in themselves, and build a brighter future.