SHEFEMME

Founder: Alena Volkova

Brand DNA

Emphasized femininity, a focus on the waist, hourglass silhouettes, noble shades, no prints, minimalism, and natural fabric compositions.

Concept

SHEFEMME is a brand of elegant clothing for real women who don’t want to choose between being “beautiful” and “smart.” The designer tactfully highlights both beauty and intellect.

The brand name combines “SHE” (English for “she”) and “FEMME” (French for “woman”). By uniting these meanings, Alena Volkova merges English pragmatism and business thinking with French romance and elegance. This duality forms the brand’s philosophy, helping women look presentable and solid while maintaining their femininity.

Brand History

The desire to create her own women’s clothing brand arose in Alena about six or seven years ago. However, at the time, she lacked the resources and knowledge needed to pursue it. Being meticulous and thorough, she began her journey with education: she took stylist courses, earned a degree in Fashion Design from the Ural State Academy of Architecture and Arts, completed several specialized courses, and even learned to sew. By mid-2023, she felt ready to launch her brand, with a clear vision of what she wanted to create and for whom.

Today, SHEFEMME is at the beginning of its journey, inspired by customer feedback to grow and become recognized nationwide—and perhaps beyond.

Blitz

Best time for creativity?

Evening or night. Being a night owl, I feel a surge of energy in the evening. Sometimes, I go to bed, and new designs and ideas come to mind

Ideal place for creativity?

Anywhere beautiful and peaceful

Music track often playing during creative work?

I always tune into the “Chillout” radio station when working on sketches—it relaxes and harmonizes me

A piece from the brand you’d wear nonstop?

That’s a tough question, like asking a parent which child they love most! But if I must choose, I’d pick the wool coat from Hugo Boss—it makes me feel especially luxurious

An item you’d pass on to grandchildren with the words, “Let this remind you of me”?

A black knit dress with accent cuffs—it reflects my essence

Favorite/least favorite part of the fashion process?

Favorite: Receiving customer feedback—it’s so touching, it almost brings me to tears. Least favorite: Paying for ads that don’t deliver results

Which historical or literary character would represent your brand?

Margarita from Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita. I can picture her at Woland’s ball wearing one of our dresses

What scent best represents your brand?

A blend of woody and vanilla aromas

Ideal photoshoot location in the Urals?

Kungur Cave has captivated me since childhood with its beauty and mystery

Hardest part of creating a new collection?

Finding and acquiring fabric. I prefer Italian fabrics from brand surplus stocks with natural compositions, but they’re often unavailable in the needed quantity. Falling in love with a sample only to find it sold out is heartbreaking

Advice to your younger self?

Even though I’m still at the beginning, I’d tell my past self, “Stop being afraid! Start now! Things won’t go perfectly, but you must take the first steps toward your dream today.”

One word to describe your brand?

Uncompromising

Dream collaboration with a celebrity?

Amal Clooney is a perfect example of a woman who is both stunning (even winning over George Clooney) and an exceptional professional in her field, as a lawyer no less!

What will change fashion soon?

Talented people—there are so many in the Ural region