Alona Yelfimova
Creative Design Lead •
Digital Fashion Artist
Creative Design Lead •
Digital Fashion Artist
A designer with many years of hands-on experience in Visual Brand Design, Art Direction, and the Management and Leadership of creative teams.
Since 2023, I have been working as an independent design consultant and founder of the boutique solo studio YELFAA®, specializing in brand design, the development of visual strategies, and creative concepts. I help companies create cohesive visual communication systems—from shaping a brand’s Visual Strategy & Identity to developing Design Guides and implementing them across teams. Before this, I spent over 16 years working in-house on the business side, where I progressed from Graphic Designer to Head of Design, developing brands, design teams, and creative processes.
Alongside Brand Design, I’m exploring a research focus at the intersection of Digital Art & Fashion, and AR. For me, fashion is one of the most sensitive sociocultural indicators through which we can explore changes in people’s lifestyles, values, and behavior, while immersive technologies open up new ways for the physical and digital worlds to interact.
Since 2023, I have been working as an independent design consultant and founder of the boutique solo studio YELFAA®, specializing in brand design, the development of visual strategies, and creative concepts. I help companies create cohesive visual communication systems—from shaping a brand’s Visual Strategy & Identity to developing Design Guides and implementing them across teams. Before this, I spent over 16 years working in-house on the business side, where I progressed from Graphic Designer to Head of Design, developing brands, design teams, and creative processes.
Alongside Brand Design, I’m exploring a research focus at the intersection of Digital Art & Fashion, and AR. For me, fashion is one of the most sensitive sociocultural indicators through which we can explore changes in people’s lifestyles, values, and behavior, while immersive technologies open up new ways for the physical and digital worlds to interact.
Alona Yelfimova
Creative Design Lead •
Digital Fashion Artist
Creative Design Lead •
Digital Fashion Artist
A designer with many years of hands-on experience in Visual Brand Design, Art Direction, and the Management and Leadership of creative teams.
Since 2023, I have been working as an independent design consultant and founder of the boutique solo studio YELFAA®, specializing in brand design, the development of visual strategies, and creative concepts. I help companies create cohesive visual communication systems—from shaping a brand’s Visual Strategy & Identity to developing Design Guides and implementing them across teams. Before this, I spent over 16 years working in-house on the business side, where I progressed from Graphic Designer to Head of Design, developing brands, design teams, and creative processes.
Alongside Brand Design, I’m exploring a research focus at the intersection of Digital Art & Fashion, and AR. For me, fashion is one of the most sensitive sociocultural indicators through which we can explore changes in people’s lifestyles, values, and behavior, while immersive technologies open up new ways for the physical and digital worlds to interact.
Since 2023, I have been working as an independent design consultant and founder of the boutique solo studio YELFAA®, specializing in brand design, the development of visual strategies, and creative concepts. I help companies create cohesive visual communication systems—from shaping a brand’s Visual Strategy & Identity to developing Design Guides and implementing them across teams. Before this, I spent over 16 years working in-house on the business side, where I progressed from Graphic Designer to Head of Design, developing brands, design teams, and creative processes.
Alongside Brand Design, I’m exploring a research focus at the intersection of Digital Art & Fashion, and AR. For me, fashion is one of the most sensitive sociocultural indicators through which we can explore changes in people’s lifestyles, values, and behavior, while immersive technologies open up new ways for the physical and digital worlds to interact.
Brand Design at YELFAA®
I work with both companies in need of rebranding or developing their existing brand identity and startups, creating visual systems that convey the brand’s strategic message. I help brands scale through brand books, design systems, exhibition solutions, and physical and digital touchpoints with their audience.
Main Focus: Brand Identity & Guidelines, Exhibition & Brand Experience, Presentation Design & Visual Storytelling.
Key Domains: IT (SaaS), Consumer Electronics, Sports & Wellness, Fashion, Social Impact.
Currently, I’m deepening my expertise and studying tools such as Design Thinking, Strategic Foresight, and Creative Session Facilitation. I’m interested not only in creating design solutions but also in helping teams explore user needs, form a shared vision, discover new opportunities, and transform ideas into concepts, products, and user experiences.
Clients of YELFAA®'s Brand Design division:
Main Focus: Brand Identity & Guidelines, Exhibition & Brand Experience, Presentation Design & Visual Storytelling.
Key Domains: IT (SaaS), Consumer Electronics, Sports & Wellness, Fashion, Social Impact.
Currently, I’m deepening my expertise and studying tools such as Design Thinking, Strategic Foresight, and Creative Session Facilitation. I’m interested not only in creating design solutions but also in helping teams explore user needs, form a shared vision, discover new opportunities, and transform ideas into concepts, products, and user experiences.
Clients of YELFAA®'s Brand Design division:
Digital Fashion & Art Experiences
In my practice, Digital Fashion is not only a creative direction but also a way to explore future lifestyles, digital identity, new consumption patterns, and the impact of technology on how people interact with the world. Through digital art, fashion concepts, AR, and immersive formats, I explore how design helps us make sense of social, cultural, and technological changes.
R&D Fashion, Creative Tech & Art Cases 2026:
In-house experience at companies
10+
on the in-house team, which I managed and developed in my role as Head of Design
CREATORS
20+
of practical experience as a creative designer in marketing
YEARS
6+
where I grew professionally as a specialist, gaining experience in various fields: IT; urban planning; manufacturing of equipment, sports and tourism goods, and more.
COMPANIES
12+
for which I created a variety of design solutions, ranging from materials for advertising campaigns to website development and brandzone concepts.
BRANDS
parimatch.ua
Head of Design
10.2021–12.2022
Parimatch Ukraine—until 2023, it was the leading licensed betting company in Ukraine and the largest Ukrainian investor in the development of sports at the national and regional levels. It implemented large-scale projects in the sports and entertainment sectors.
Design Lead, and later Head of Design.
My primary role was to review the art direction of all creative materials to ensure a cohesive brand image, as well as to implement the new brand book across all touchpoints. I developed a growth strategy for the department and quickly adapted it in response to the war to maintain market position and expand our scope of work, including the product development direction. I was responsible for the art side of promotional campaigns: developing key visuals and art direction, adapting creative assets for 180- and 360-degree promotions, and creating scripts for video ads.
During my time there, the team doubled in size, including graphic designers, illustrators, 3D and 2D motion designers, and art project coordinators.
Top 3 projects I’m most proud of during my time at the company:
Head of Design
10.2021–12.2022
Parimatch Ukraine—until 2023, it was the leading licensed betting company in Ukraine and the largest Ukrainian investor in the development of sports at the national and regional levels. It implemented large-scale projects in the sports and entertainment sectors.
Design Lead, and later Head of Design.
My primary role was to review the art direction of all creative materials to ensure a cohesive brand image, as well as to implement the new brand book across all touchpoints. I developed a growth strategy for the department and quickly adapted it in response to the war to maintain market position and expand our scope of work, including the product development direction. I was responsible for the art side of promotional campaigns: developing key visuals and art direction, adapting creative assets for 180- and 360-degree promotions, and creating scripts for video ads.
During my time there, the team doubled in size, including graphic designers, illustrators, 3D and 2D motion designers, and art project coordinators.
Top 3 projects I’m most proud of during my time at the company:
- Pitch deck for a collaboration proposal with UNITED24.
- The 360° promo “Born in Ukraine—Charged to Win!” featuring brand ambassador O. Usyk.
- Art direction for three promotional videos highlighting product features—completed in one month from script to execution—and the development of key visuals for a 180° advertising campaign.
weplay.tv
Brand Designer
04.2020–11.2020
The company organizes esports tournament broadcasts.
My task was to create a cohesive brand image in the minds of the audience across all touchpoints—an image that had been lost amid the diverse visual identities of the tournaments (a byproduct). I analyzed the identity issues with the design developed by the agency, which they had created independently; I identified the strengths and weaknesses in the current solutions and worked on creating brand style guidelines that related departments could use without compromising consistency. I developed HR Employer Brand materials designed to foster employee loyalty to the company: merchandise, internal presentations, visualizations of brand values, and more. I also developed concepts for the office entrance area, as well as the interior and brand identity of the WePlay Esports Arena spin-off.
Brand Designer
04.2020–11.2020
The company organizes esports tournament broadcasts.
My task was to create a cohesive brand image in the minds of the audience across all touchpoints—an image that had been lost amid the diverse visual identities of the tournaments (a byproduct). I analyzed the identity issues with the design developed by the agency, which they had created independently; I identified the strengths and weaknesses in the current solutions and worked on creating brand style guidelines that related departments could use without compromising consistency. I developed HR Employer Brand materials designed to foster employee loyalty to the company: merchandise, internal presentations, visualizations of brand values, and more. I also developed concepts for the office entrance area, as well as the interior and brand identity of the WePlay Esports Arena spin-off.
misto.lun.ua
Creative Visual & Communication Designer
01.2020–04.2020, freelance format 2021
Designer on the “LUN City” project for the LUN marketing team. The main task was to transform complex, dry data into engaging, informative, and easy-to-understand infographics. I developed a consistent set of templates and a visual style for the project’s infographics.
We developed the visual style for the Urban Conference project, which focused on the creation and analysis of data regarding the urban improvement of residential areas in Kyiv.
Creative Visual & Communication Designer
01.2020–04.2020, freelance format 2021
Designer on the “LUN City” project for the LUN marketing team. The main task was to transform complex, dry data into engaging, informative, and easy-to-understand infographics. I developed a consistent set of templates and a visual style for the project’s infographics.
We developed the visual style for the Urban Conference project, which focused on the creation and analysis of data regarding the urban improvement of residential areas in Kyiv.
07.2016–12.2019
Brand Designer — Piramida Technik
pyramida.ua
Brand Designer in the marketing department of a company that is a leader in Ukraine in the production and sale of built-in kitchen appliances. I was responsible for implementing the brand book and new visual identity during the rebranding process.
Areas of design layout development:
Creative Visual & Communication Designer — Camping Trade
campingtrade.com.ua
camping.com.ua | stanley-ua.com | thermo.in.ua | grillme.com.ua
A multi-brand company engaged in the production and sale of sports and leisure goods. It owns the following brands: Camping, GrellMe, Termo, Kovea, and RedPoint. It is also the official representative of the legendary American thermos brand Stanley.
I developed designs in the following areas:
Brand Designer — Piramida Technik
pyramida.ua
Brand Designer in the marketing department of a company that is a leader in Ukraine in the production and sale of built-in kitchen appliances. I was responsible for implementing the brand book and new visual identity during the rebranding process.
Areas of design layout development:
- Graphic design
- UI-design
- Digital design
- Retail brandzone and interior architecture
- Packaging design
Creative Visual & Communication Designer — Camping Trade
campingtrade.com.ua
camping.com.ua | stanley-ua.com | thermo.in.ua | grillme.com.ua
A multi-brand company engaged in the production and sale of sports and leisure goods. It owns the following brands: Camping, GrellMe, Termo, Kovea, and RedPoint. It is also the official representative of the legendary American thermos brand Stanley.
I developed designs in the following areas:
- Graphic design — creating materials for promotional campaigns, advertising print materials, catalogs, and more
- Packaging design — updating product lines
- UI design — designing catalog websites and a promotional website for a contest.
- Retail brand zone — developing branded displays at points of sale and overseeing contractor execution.
- Photography — preparing briefs and overseeing photo shoots.
10.2014–11.2015
Main Role:
B2B Brand & Marketing Communication — DefCom
defcom.com
Additional Role:
Creative Operations & Production Lead (DefTalk — SmartStickers)
deftalk.com
DefCom is an ecosystem of B2B products in the field of secure corporate communications. I was responsible for developing brand communications and marketing materials for product launches, supporting investor presentations, and overseeing the entire creative direction for DefTalk Adaptive Stickers—a key product feature of the DefTalk sub-product.
Key Results
Main Role:
B2B Brand & Marketing Communication — DefCom
defcom.com
Additional Role:
Creative Operations & Production Lead (DefTalk — SmartStickers)
deftalk.com
DefCom is an ecosystem of B2B products in the field of secure corporate communications. I was responsible for developing brand communications and marketing materials for product launches, supporting investor presentations, and overseeing the entire creative direction for DefTalk Adaptive Stickers—a key product feature of the DefTalk sub-product.
Key Results
- Supported the launch and presentation of DefCom ecosystem products through comprehensive B2B brand communications.
- Built a scalable production process for SmartStickers—from collaborating with freelance artists (19 artists) and recruiting a new in-house creative team (6 employees) to localization, QA, and handoff to development.
- Ensured the release of over 4,000 adaptive stickers, localized into 12 languages, across more than 20 themed collections.
Art Department Coordinator,
Graphic & Web Designer
04.2011–09.2014
An IT company that provided a full range of technological solutions in the field of forex trading. I was with the company through virtually all stages of its existence until it closed. We worked as a small agency on internal brands: the MMCIS and Mill Trade projects, FxFactor magazine, and the “Good Deeds” Charitable Foundation.
I started at the company as an advertising designer and spent my last year there as a coordinator in the art department (a team of 12 people), where I was responsible for managing the workload within the department, coordinating layouts with management and legal counsel, and handling all communication with related departments. This was my first experience managing, forming, and disbanding an entire team.
Graphic & Web Designer
04.2011–09.2014
An IT company that provided a full range of technological solutions in the field of forex trading. I was with the company through virtually all stages of its existence until it closed. We worked as a small agency on internal brands: the MMCIS and Mill Trade projects, FxFactor magazine, and the “Good Deeds” Charitable Foundation.
I started at the company as an advertising designer and spent my last year there as a coordinator in the art department (a team of 12 people), where I was responsible for managing the workload within the department, coordinating layouts with management and legal counsel, and handling all communication with related departments. This was my first experience managing, forming, and disbanding an entire team.
Editorial Designer
2008 (several months)
The Ukrainian edition of the women’s magazine EVA.
After completing an internship at the publishing house of XXL magazine, where I observed the entire production cycle of a print publication and the work of various editorial specialists, it was at EVA that I gained my first professional experience in editorial design and layout.
How this experience shaped my career:
Although this phase was brief, it served as a crucial bridge between my academic training and professional practice. Here, I transformed the knowledge I gained during my studies and internship at XXL into practical skills for managing editorial workflows, multi-page publications, and print production. Later on, these skills enabled me to confidently work on large-scale catalogs, brand books, and corporate publications, where it’s not just about creating a beautiful layout, but also about structuring large volumes of information and ensuring they’re ready for production.
Competencies:
Design: Editorial Design • Publication Design • Layout Design • Typography • Information Design
Production: Adobe InDesign • Print Production • DTP • Prepress
Collaboration: Editorial Workflow • Collaboration with Editors • Copy Integration • Deadline Management
Mindset: Attention to Detail • Structured Thinking • Information Architecture • Visual Communication
Ключові навички, які прокачала:
2008 (several months)
The Ukrainian edition of the women’s magazine EVA.
After completing an internship at the publishing house of XXL magazine, where I observed the entire production cycle of a print publication and the work of various editorial specialists, it was at EVA that I gained my first professional experience in editorial design and layout.
How this experience shaped my career:
Although this phase was brief, it served as a crucial bridge between my academic training and professional practice. Here, I transformed the knowledge I gained during my studies and internship at XXL into practical skills for managing editorial workflows, multi-page publications, and print production. Later on, these skills enabled me to confidently work on large-scale catalogs, brand books, and corporate publications, where it’s not just about creating a beautiful layout, but also about structuring large volumes of information and ensuring they’re ready for production.
Competencies:
Design: Editorial Design • Publication Design • Layout Design • Typography • Information Design
Production: Adobe InDesign • Print Production • DTP • Prepress
Collaboration: Editorial Workflow • Collaboration with Editors • Copy Integration • Deadline Management
Mindset: Attention to Detail • Structured Thinking • Information Architecture • Visual Communication
Ключові навички, які прокачала:
- Editorial Design
- Magazine Layout
- Publication Design
- Typography
- Information Hierarchy
- Grid Systems
- Adobe InDesign
- Print Production
- DTP / Prepress
- Cross-functional Collaboration
- Time Management
- Working with Editorial Deadlines
little-one.com
Designer DTP
08.2005–06.2007
Little ONE was a full-service advertising agency that specialized on Branded Merchandise & Print Production.
It handled the preparation of files for all types of print media and promotional products, as well as textile printing.
Editorial Design Intern
Summer practice 2005
The Ukrainian edition of the men’s magazine XXL.
An internship during my studies at the institute, which gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in the professional environment of a publishing house and witness the entire process of creating a print magazine.
The main goal of the internship: To familiarize myself with the entire editorial and publishing process, understand the roles of various specialists, and learn the principles of preparing multi-page print publications.
Summer practice 2005
The Ukrainian edition of the men’s magazine XXL.
An internship during my studies at the institute, which gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in the professional environment of a publishing house and witness the entire process of creating a print magazine.
The main goal of the internship: To familiarize myself with the entire editorial and publishing process, understand the roles of various specialists, and learn the principles of preparing multi-page print publications.
I’m interested in exploring how people’s needs change under the influence of technology, culture, and new digital environments. That’s why, in recent years, I’ve been combining design practice with the study of Design Thinking, foresight approaches, trend research, and experiments at the intersection of art, fashion, AI, and immersive technologies:
Areas of interest for collaboration:
Future Lifestyles
FashionTech
AR & Immersive Experiences
Consumer Behaviour
AI-powered Products
Wellbeing Technologies
Innovation & R&D
Areas of interest for collaboration:
Future Lifestyles
FashionTech
AR & Immersive Experiences
Consumer Behaviour
AI-powered Products
Wellbeing Technologies
Innovation & R&D
Points of contact: