Fall 2027 HEAD ski collection designed for women by women

May 14, 2026

HEAD hosts Women’s Ski Summit to learn what women skiers want

BOULDER, Colo. (May 14, 2026) /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ — Driving brand direction for 2027, premium winter sports equipment manufacturer, HEAD, hosted a two-day on-snow event with influential women from across the ski industry to answer one pivotal question: What do women actually want from the ski industry? Event feedback will shape the brand’s 2027 Joy Collection and how HEAD works with and communicates to women skiers in North America.

In an industry where decisions have often been made without women meaningfully at the table, HEAD set out to build a dedicated space for honest input from women who live and work in skiing every day. Eight women attended the event at Big White, B.C., including buyers, marketers, ski testers, coaches, and retailers. The goal went well beyond validating product performance; the summit focused on how women want to be spoken to, represented, and supported – on snow, in shops, and in brand storytelling.

“We kept it small on purpose so we could have real, honest conversations,” said Natalie Dyksterhouse, Winter Sports Marketing Manager at HEAD. “Our goal wasn’t just to test product, it was to listen and really understand how women in wintersports want to be addressed. The ski industry walks a fine line when it comes to women’s products, and one of the biggest topics was whether women-specific product lines should exist at all. What became clear is that this isn’t a simple yes or no question, it is more nuanced than that.”

A few key themes emerged from conversations:

• There is no single answer to the women-specific vs. unisex product debate, different skiers want different things.
• Freeskiers generally favored unisex skis, while frontside and carving skiers emphasized the importance of women-specific designs.
• Tone matters: women want clear, technically credible information without condescension, along with better education on what skis are built to do and how that matches both their abilities and their anatomies.
• Many women approach gear with less ego and more self-assessment, which affects how they respond to performance claims, marketing messages, and in-store guidance.

Insights from the summit will help shape the next generation of the Joy Collection, launching in fall 2027. Since its debut in 2014, the Joy Collection, HEAD’s best-selling women’s all-mountain ski line, has been intentionally designed to serve different skier types and personalities. Varied constructions across models enhance on-snow performance, improve accessibility, and better align with what women are seeking in their gear. This approach will continue in the next generation, which will introduce refined model positioning, messaging, and line architecture to more clearly serve distinct skier profiles.

For HEAD, this summit marks the start of an ongoing, women-led collaboration – bringing women into earlier stages of development and making listening a consistent part of innovation. For the broader industry, it’s a signal that real progress depends not just on new materials and shapes, but on who is invited into the process and how brands show up for the women driving the future of skiing.

ABOUT HEAD
HEAD is a leading global manufacturer of premium sports equipment, specializing in skiing, snowboarding, and related winter sports, as well as racquet sports, swimming, and diving. Founded in 1950 by engineer Howard Head, the company introduced revolutionary ski design with its Head Standard model—combining metal and wood to create skis that are more maneuverable, durable, and high-performance. HEAD continues to innovate through its product lines for freeride, all-mountain, junior, and luxury performance, pushing technical boundaries while delivering an exceptional experience to athletes and outdoor lovers around the world.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Verde Brand Communications, head@verdepr.com