Key Takeaways
- Before the Atlanta Dream’s Barbie Day game, Angel Reese was gifted a one-of-one, crystal-covered version of her Reebok x Barbie Angel Reese 1 sneaker, custom-designed and hand-delivered by celebrity jeweler Erica “Ms. Diggs” Diggs.
- Diggs spent two days hand-setting Austrian crystals into the shoe’s aqua panels, saying she feels Angel Reese is the Michael Jordan of the WNBA after seeing how genuinely Reese appreciated the gift.
- The custom kicks arrive as Reese’s Barbie partnership surges, with her new Barbie Signature Doll joining a Mattel athlete roster that includes Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Naomi Osaka, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, and Kristi Yamaguchi, a milestone her mother calls “surreal” for Black girls who rarely saw dolls that looked like them.
Angel Reese's signature Barbie sneaker just got the VIP treatment.
Before the Atlanta Dream's Barbie Day matchup against the Las Vegas Aces, Reese was surprised with a one-of-one crystal-covered version of her Reebok x Barbie Angel Reese 1, custom-designed and hand-delivered by celebrity jeweler Erica "Ms. Diggs" Diggs.
Even in Atlanta's 109-87 loss, Reese stuffed the stat sheet with 23 points and 16 rebounds, recording her 20th double-double of the season while wearing the Barbie-inspired colorway.
Diggs, whose clients include Chris Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., Snoop Dogg, Tyrese, Akon, Jim Jones, and Raekwon, spent two days hand-setting Austrian crystals into the shoe's aqua panels, creating a one-of-one collectible while preserving the shoe’s original silhouette.
"It was really cool," Diggs told ScoopB.com. "I felt like I was a part of something... not just something special, but something big."
She went even further when describing Reese's place in the sport.
"I feel like Angel Reese is the Michael Jordan of the WNBA," Diggs said. "I know people are going to debate me on this, but being part of her personal growth and her brand... it felt really good to contribute."
The exchange itself became one of Diggs' favorite moments.
"She said, 'Oh, these are dope! Thank you,'" Diggs recalled. "She looked me in my eyes... I could tell she genuinely appreciated the shoes."
The custom sneakers arrive just days after Reese expanded her relationship with Mattel through the release of her official Barbie Signature Doll. Ahead of the game, Reese and her mother, Angel Webb Reese, reflected on why that milestone mattered.
Asked about her own childhood, Webb Reese remembered something many Black girls experienced growing up: "It didn't look like me."
Today, she says, watching girls hold a Barbie modeled after her daughter is "surreal" and "overwhelming."
The Barbie collaboration has quickly become one of the defining partnerships of Reese's career. Earlier this year, she appeared alongside Serena Williams at Barbie Dream Fest and joined an exclusive roster of athletes honored by Mattel that includes Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Naomi Osaka, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, and Kristi Yamaguchi.
Reflecting on Instagram after gifting the custom pair, Diggs called the experience "bigger than a sneaker," thanking Reese for "continuing to inspire the next generation on and off the court."
