Swarovski and Jordan Brand celebrated the new limited-edition crystal-embellished Air Jordan 1 Low OG with an event at Swarovski on Fifth in New York City on Thursday, where guests were allowed an early opportunity to buy the sneaker and listened to a conversation with Jordan Brand athlete and WNBA star Isabelle “Izzy” Harrison.

The Air Jordan 1 Low OG style, which turns 40 in 2025, is glamorized with an intricate crystal design reinterpreting the well-known black and gray “Shadow” colorway. The bejeweled women’s sneakers, featuring crystals of different sizes, are marked at a price of $1,000. The collection also includes a T-shirt and sweatshirt with the name Jordan written in looping crystal script, joining the shoes on display at the store.

Harrison, who helped the New York Liberty win the WNBA championship last year, sat down for a conversation on her basketball career and fashion with editor-in-chief of The Cut, Lindsay Peoples. The athlete donned a basketball-inspired Air Jordan ensemble with black pumps and Swarovski jewelry while Peoples modeled products from the new collection, including the coveted sneakers.

Reflecting on the pressures of perfection, Harrison said, “I feel like these past two years with the growth of women’s basketball, I’ve had so many more eyes on me than I had before, but what’s kind of kept me grounded in that is my family and friends.”

Acknowledging she has young eyes on her, she said she’s mindful of how she represents herself, aiming to stay authentic with her image. “I really say, to hell with perfection, like it’s not real at all. And as an athlete, I’m not perfect, I get critiqued all the time, but also I know myself. I have a lot of confidence in myself as well, so I just try to let go of the pressures, and people are going to have their opinions but that don’t pay my bills.”

Harrison was prompted to offer her take on the current conversations surrounding equal pay and inclusion in the sports industry.

“It’s about time,” Harrison said. “Players have been had the talent, been had the ability to do these things. And there’s women before me who I know who could have been sitting here, but the opportunities were never present and/or available because the investment and the eyes weren’t there. In a way, it’s almost like they just kind of paved the way for me to be here.”

She continued, “It’s been one of those things that I’ve been very, very grateful for, and now that we have these new eyes, I’m just doing my best to represent the game, show the game and show that women can be very girly and also be tough as hell.”

Harrison’s interest in fashion can be traced back to her youth. One of 12 siblings, she recalled wearing hand-me-downs and sporting pants as capris because of her above-average height. Her passion for style only developed as she progressed through the athletic world, and now she’s one of the WNBA players known to deliver eye-catching tunnel looks.

“I live for a tunnel fit,” she said. “Y’all can ask, like, I’m down to the details. I want it to be specific, and just beautiful. Because you know, when you look good, you play good. And I think this is people’s first look of who you are for that day. And they could be watching the game for the very first time, but if they see me in a Jordan fit, they see me in whatever I’m wearing that day, they’re more inclined to stay and watch the game.”

Harrison recalled tweeting a year prior to her signing with Jordan Brand that she wanted to be a Jordan athlete. In addition to this manifestation, she credits God and her own hard work networking for helping her secure the contract.

“Being a part of this family truly is just — you can’t beat it,” Harrison said. “I feel like I’m connected to greatness every single day. When I walk in the gym, I don’t only just think about my last name on my jersey, but also Jordan. It’s a huge, huge blessing to be a part of this. I try to go out there and represent myself and work hard just like Michael, truly. So to have a women’s side of this now, it’s been big. And I feel like I’ve done so many things with the brand now, it’s been some of the highlights of my life. I just knew it was coming, I just didn’t know when. I’m so happy Jordan fulfilled those dreams for me.”