Coming off a historic 2024 season, this year’s WNBA season is expected to be the most exciting one yet. It’s also arguably already the most fashionable. On May 16, Los Angeles Sparks’ Dearica Hamby made her tunnel walk in a custom Jordan x Swarovski look fit with the women’s Air Jordan 1 Low Silhouette for the season opener games. The following day, New York Liberty’s Isabelle Harrison made her tunnel walk in another Jordan x Swarovski look. Both Jordan-signed athletes worked with Jordan Brand and Swarovski on their custom pieces.
This isn’t the first time that Jordan Brand and Swarovski have collaborated: earlier this month, they dropped an entirely blinged-out Air Jordan 1, combining the brilliance of Swarovski crystals with the iconic women’s Air Jordan 1 Low Silhouette. The exclusive drop is part of the New Gems collection, bringing a new level of shine to the Air Jordan 1 signature shape exclusively for women.
Over the years, the WNBA tunnel walk has become a defining moment of fashion in the sport. The pre-game tradition has become somewhat of a runway moment, showcasing a player’s personal style. For Dearica Hamby, this meant making a hyper-feminine sparkling statement, while Harrison went for elevated comfort.
Hamby’s season debut outfit was made from Swarovski crystal mesh, fashioned into a halter top and wrap-around skirt combo. “Dearica knew exactly what she wanted, so we really wanted to bring her vision to life,” says Lauren Wong, senior design director at Nike. “Styling the accessories with the Swarovski team was great because they had a lot of suggestions on how to complete the look with their jewellery.”
According to Wong, the design for Harrison’s Jordan x Swarovski bomber jacket came to life after she kept gravitating towards more oversized looks. “It’s a pumped-up take on the Jordan Renegade jacket,” she says. During the design process, they removed the rib collar, kept the signature bubble shape and reimagined the staple piece in heavy silk (with Swarovski crystal detailing, of course).
Head above to see the final looks.