How Suitsme’s Gala Iefremova is driving growth in fashion games and building opportunities for women

Fashion games on mobile are seeing significant growth, especially among younger audiences who are showing strong interest in the genre.

To dive deeper into the trend, we spoke with Gala Iefremova, founder of w7g - the company formerly known as Suitsme. While Suitsme now refers exclusively to the game, w7g has evolved into a broader femtech company.

The challenges of first time entrepreneurship 

Launching Suitsme marked Iefremova’s first venture as an entrepreneur. The process, she admits, was one that involved lots of dealing with unknowns while wearing “multiple hats”.

“One of the biggest challenges was learning to trust my instincts while navigating complete uncertainty,” she says. “I had never been part of a game launch from scratch, so I had to learn quickly by talking to people, asking the right questions and building knowledge on the go.”

Hiring was also another significant hurdle, as Iefremova explains when you are eager to launch quickly, it can sometimes be tempting to prioritise speed over the right fit. She says that some of the first people who joined the team are still at the studio today, but some hires didn’t work out.

“Looking back, I see clearly how early missteps in team building created technical challenges that are still difficult to unwind today.” 

Reflecting on her journey, Iefremova offers advice to other potential founders, advising them to start before they’re ready and hire with a long-term vision, ensuring they bring in people who aren’t just skilled but also able to bring their own perspectives to the product.

“I’d also say build fast, test constantly and be okay with imperfection. Some mistakes will take years to fix, and that’s part of the journey. Most importantly, keep going. Persistence is your greatest asset.”

Gender barriers in the games industry

For Iefremova, building a studio as a solo female founder presented its own unique challenges, particularly in an industry that is still largely dominated by men. 

“In the early days, I often found myself being the only woman in the room, whether in executive meetings, tech teams or conferences,” she explains, and goes on to say that subtle behaviours reinforced a sense of exclusion.

“I remember joining a new tech team where the men shook hands every morning but hesitated when it came to me. It wasn’t hostile, just unfamiliar. But behaviours like that shape how included someone feels.”

To help drive change, Iefremova emphasises the importance of not only hiring women but also creating pathways for their advancement. “At my company, w7g, 84% of our team are women, including 75% in leadership. That didn’t happen by accident. It took intentional effort to build an environment where women could not only work but lead, innovate and thrive.”

In her role as a Women in Games ambassador, Iefremova is passionate about driving meaningful change across the industry and advocating for women in the industry.

“The industry needs to move beyond good intentions and start making systemic, measurable changes,” she says. “The truth is, many women are discouraged from entering or staying in the industry because they don’t see a path forward.”

She notes key areas to address, such as representation, culture and opportunity.

“First, we need more women in leadership and decision-making roles. Not just on diversity panels, but in core and product business teams.”

Creating supportive work environments is something that Iefremova notes as being equally important. Having the likes of mentorship programs and clear pathways for advancement are all aspects that companies should be mindful of.

For hiring, companies should look to sourcing from women-focused coding boot camps, game design schools and mentorship initiatives.

“If we want a more diverse industry, we need to be willing to go beyond the usual resumes.” 

She encourages women to “own your space” and lead on their own terms. “You can lead with empathy, build with intuition, and still be deeply strategic and results-driven. You don’t have to prove you’re ‘one of the guys’. You just have to show you’re good at what you do and that you’re doing it on your own terms.”

The Suitsme team

Today, the studio is supported by a growing team of around 40 people across two products, one being Suitsme and a newer self-care app, FABU. Of that team, around 25 of them are fully dedicated to Suitsme. 

Hiring and leadership have remained a personal priority for Iefremova, with her sharing that she personally conducts the final interview with every potential new hire. “It’s important to me to understand not just their experience, but how they think, what motivates them, and whether they align with our values and vision.”

Iefremova also acknowledges that Suitsme’s predominantly female leadership does influence both the product and user experience, with many of the staff being excited and passionate about something related to fashion and self-expression.

“We’ve built a culture of open feedback, transparency and mutual respect. That kind of environment tends to attract people, especially women, who are looking for meaningful work without the politics.”

Despite being a mostly female team, Iefremova shares how a male designer designed the game’s core visual identity and serves as a great reminder that “talent and creativity aren’t bound by gender".

The fashion genre and filling the market gap

The inspiration for Suitsme was sparked by Iefremova’s own love of fashion and wanting to explore that digitally.

“I loved the idea of dressing up as a digital avatar. It brought back childhood memories of playing with paper dolls and designing outfits for them. But while I admired the concept, the game felt outdated to me. I wanted to create something more visually stunning and modern.”

Iefremova also saw an opportunity to combine both style exploration with the idea of mindful consumer habits. “I dreamed of integrating style tips, offering guidance and helping women learn about fashion in an interactive and sustainable way.”

However, community feedback soon played a big role in the development and direction of Suitsme, as Iefremova shares that most users weren’t actually looking for style education but rather for creative expression.

“They didn’t want a story on colour blocking, they wanted to create an ocean goddess or princesses.”

This new knowledge led to a significant pivot where now most of the game's over-18,000 garments are more imaginative. Iefremova also shares that many are generated with AI and then refined by the team's in-house professional fashion designers to fit their digital models.

While some may still view fashion games as a niche market, Iefremova believes that this is a misconception. “These games attract massive global audiences, primarily women, who are seeking creativity, self-expression and a break from the hyper-competitive or combat-heavy gameplay that dominates the space.”

Suitsme’s monetisation strategy has evolved based on how its audience engages with the game. Since it turned out that many were looking for a more creative escape rather than building a real-life wardrobe, the team pivoted to focus fully on in-app purchases and long-term retention. 

Iefremova shares that the results speak for themselves. “The lifetime of our core users stretches over several years, which is exceptional in mobile games. Players stay because the game evolves with them and because it’s emotionally rewarding."

Engagement is also something that has remained strong with an average session length of over 15 minutes.

Looking ahead, Iefremova sees big opportunities for both Suitsme and the wider fashion genre. “Right now, our focus is on deepening personalisation and integrating AI. We’re experimenting with features that make the game feel more like a digital studio for exploration and a creative escape.”

Community-driven content is also intended to play a bigger role in the future, with Iefremova sharing that some ideas have come directly from players. As for the broader market, Iefremova predicts continued growth. 

“Fashion games will sit at the intersection of entertainment, self-expression and even wellness. They won’t just be games, they’ll be platforms where people explore identity, creativity and belonging.”