Women Designers Are Steering Consumer Tech Toward a Better Place
WIRED recently highlighted 16 products that were designed by or for women, and the list reveals a common thread: when women lead design, the results often prioritize approachability, durability, and a deeper emotional connection over aggressive styling or compromise. From electric trucks to health trackers, these products show how female designers are influencing the consumer tech landscape in meaningful ways.
The featured items range from an affordable electric pickup truck to a thoughtfully engineered carry-on suitcase and a women-specific cycling jacket. Each one demonstrates that inclusive design is not a niche concern but a driving force behind some of the most compelling products on the market today.
Slate Auto: A Pickup Designed to Be Loved, Not Feared
In the automotive world, women are frequently relegated to leading interior or materials design, but Tisha Johnson is a rare exception. As head of design at the EV maker Slate, she oversees the entire look of the company’s vehicles. The pickup truck version of Slate’s electric vehicle starts at just under $25,000, making it the cheapest pickup on sale in the United States—electric or otherwise. That low price might suggest compromise, yet Johnson’s Slate has earned design awards, not just praise for affordability.
“We didn’t want [Slate] to be a jerk,” Johnson says, “or look like a beast on the road.” That philosophy is evident in the truck’s design. Instead of macho, arrowed surfacing, the Slate features strong shoulders and approachable round headlamps. The vehicle was designed to be loved, with a modular, add-on-friendly architecture that encourages owners to make it their own. The Fastback SUV variant, pictured in the WIRED feature, continues that ethos.
Johnson argues that the attraction to Slate is “based on something that is lasting from inside out. It’s a deeper connection.” The market appears to agree: Slate has amassed some 180,000 reservations and counting. The Fastback SUV is priced at $31,950 and up, further proving that thoughtful design and affordability can coexist.
Away: Reinventing the Carry-On for Modern Travelers
Founded in 2015 by entrepreneurs Jen Rubio and Steph Korey, both of whom previously worked at the eyewear maker Warby Parker, Away has become a standout in the travel gear market. In its first year, the company generated $12 million in sales and sold more than 100,000 stylish, reasonably priced suitcases. The Softside Carry-on currently tops WIRED’s best buy list, but the aluminum version of the company’s roll-aboard deserves special attention.
The Away Carry-On: Aluminum Edition is built tough yet perfectly sized for the overhead bin. It offers a 32-liter capacity, dual TSA locks, 360-degree wheels, and an internal compression system. The signature hidden laundry bag remains a brilliant touch—a detail that speaks to the practical needs of frequent travelers. At $625, it is an investment, but one that reflects Away’s commitment to combining durability with thoughtful features.
Rubio and Korey’s backgrounds in direct-to-consumer eyewear helped them disrupt the luggage industry with a similar playbook: sleek design, transparent pricing, and a focus on customer experience. The result is a product that feels premium without being precious, and functional without being boring.
Jelenew: Cycling Gear Built for Women’s Bodies
Jelenew, cofounded by six-time cycling world champion Marion Clignet, takes a different approach to design. Instead of scaling down men’s cycling apparel, the brand develops gear specifically around women’s proportions. The Mont Blanc Ultralight Long Windproof Jacket exemplifies this philosophy, combining female-specific articulated shaping with recycled nylon, mesh ventilation, and an adjustable hem. It packs down into a compact 6.3 x 9.8-inch bag, making it easy to stash during a ride.
Clignet brought her elite racing experience directly into the brand’s development process. The result is a jacket that fits properly and performs at a high level, rather than forcing women to make do with gear designed for men. This attention to anatomical differences is not just about comfort—it is about safety, performance, and encouraging more women to participate in cycling.
While the source text does not specify the full material composition of the jacket, it notes that it uses recycled nylon and mesh ventilation. The emphasis on sustainability and function aligns with a broader trend among women-led brands: creating products that are both responsible and effective.
The Broader Impact of Women-Led Design
The common thread across these products is a willingness to challenge default assumptions. In the auto industry, Johnson shows that a truck does not have to be intimidating to be capable. In travel, Rubio and Korey prove that luggage can be both stylish and practical. In cycling, Clignet demonstrates that women’s gear can be engineered from the ground up, not merely adapted.
WIRED’s list of 16 products includes health trackers and other consumer technologies, suggesting that this pattern extends across categories. When women are involved in design leadership, they often bring perspectives that lead to more inclusive, human-centered outcomes. That can mean a vehicle that feels approachable, a suitcase that anticipates real travel needs, or a jacket that fits properly.
- Approachability over aggression: Slate’s truck avoids macho styling in favor of round headlamps and strong shoulders.
- Practical innovation: Away’s aluminum carry-on includes a hidden laundry bag and an internal compression system.
- Anatomical specificity: Jelenew’s jacket is shaped for women’s proportions, not scaled down from men’s gear.
These are not just products for women; they are products for everyone who values thoughtful design. The success of Slate, Away, and Jelenew shows that the market rewards that kind of thinking. As more women take on design leadership roles, we can expect consumer tech to become more diverse, more sustainable, and more connected to the people who use it.
The deeper connection Johnson describes is not limited to cars. It is a design principle that can apply to any product: create something that people love, not just something they tolerate. That is the real lesson from this collection of products, and it is one that the entire tech industry would do well to embrace.
This article is based on reporting by Wired. Read the original article.
Originally published on wired.com
