Design Focused on Women’s Experience by Studio Miklavc

Q: Studio Miklavc has been collaborating with Alpina, one of the strongest Slovenian brands, for many years. How has your relationship with the client evolved over time, and how does this continuity influence your design process?

A: We have been collaborating with Alpina for nearly three decades. Such a long-term partnership creates a strong synergy of knowledge and experience on both sides, which consistently leads to more advanced solutions. It also streamlines the development process, often reducing both time and cost. What is particularly remarkable is that after all these years, we are still able to deliver design solutions at the highest global level—especially in the demanding field of cross-country equipment, where there is no margin for error and the expectations of professional athletes and world-class competitions leave no room for compromise.

Such a long-term partnership creates a strong synergy of knowledge and experience on both sides

Q: Women’s sports products are too often just “the ones with flowers,” without addressing the real challenges. With ENYO, how did you define the right problem, where did the idea come from, and why do you think this aspect has been overlooked for so long?

A: You are right – the world has long been predominantly designed for male users, whether due to historical, cultural, systemic, or data-driven reasons. Even when products are labeled “for women,” they often focus only on appearance or result from minimal adaptations of male-oriented products. With ENYO, we set out to redefine this approach by developing a solution from the ground up, based on real user insights. We integrated key principles such as ergonomics, usability, and comfort to ensure the product truly meets women’s needs. The main challenge was creating a ski boot that offers women the same freedom, adaptability, and performance on the slopes as men have traditionally enjoyed.

“Even when products are labeled ‘for women,’ they often focus only on appearance or result from minimal adaptations of male-oriented products. With ENYO, we set out to redefine this approach by developing a solution from the ground up, based on real user insights.”

Q: Studio Miklavc has become a synonym for thoughtful industrial design in Slovenia. How do you manage to stay at the top in such a demanding market, and what do you see as the main reason for your success?

A: The simple answer is hard work and empathy. More broadly, our strength lies in being true design experts with nearly three decades of experience across a wide range of industries. We work with clients from Slovenia, Italy, Germany, the United States, and South Korea, covering fields such as lighting, consumer electronics, user interfaces, transport, medical equipment, furniture, exhibitions, and sports equipment. Our approach is holistic—we combine product design with visual communication, brand development, and service design. This broad scope allows us to deliver added value to our clients and maintain a leading position in a highly competitive market.

“The simple answer is hard work and empathy.”

“Our approach is holistic – we combine product design with visual communication, brand development, and service design.”