More shoe companies are bringing cartoon shoes and sneakers out of the make-believe realities of our childhood and into real life for us to enjoy. First, we saw MSCHF’s unforgettable Big Red Boot, often compared to something Astro Boy would have worn and seemed to break reality. Now Red Wing has brought the shoes of one of the most excellent plumbers of our childhood to life. Introducing Super Mario’s shoes / sneakers (whatever these are).
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Mario’s Shoes Brought to Life
Leading up to the release of the Super Mario Bros. Movie, Nintendo and Illumination have revealed that they have been working with Red Wing heritage footwear to bring Mario’s shoes to life and to celebrate his first leap from the game to the big screen. The collaboration came to life to “translate every on-screen pixel into a real-life stitch.”
Red Wing’s shoes are a prototype of Mario’s iconic footwear with 3-eyes for laces and are made of durable, natural leather. The boots aren’t just for looks and have resilient, slip-resistant treads. Clearly, they have been designed for use by a super plumber.
An interesting detail that Red Wing has added to these fantastic shoes is the fabric and heel tabs that adorn the shoes. They are made of mushroom-based mycelium, a perfect nod to the power-ups that “help Mario take on Bowser and his army.” To think that they would add such a sweet and purposeful detail is a real testament to the workmanship that has gone into the creation of these shoes.
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On Display
The prototype of these shoes arrived at Nintendo New York at Rockefeller Centre on the 10th of March. It will be on display throughout April, leading up to the release of the new film on the 5th of April, 2023. These shoes were magical and had a magical delivery to the Nintendo display via a Super Mario Bros. Plumber Van. You can’t deny that Nintendo, Illumination, and Red Wing Shoes know how to hype up their audience for the upcoming movie.
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Red Wing, a Heritage Footwear Company
Red Wing Shoe Company works to create long-lasting, durable, and comfortable footwear. They aim to “protect trades workers on the job site for [the last] 118 years.” They were super excited to announce that they have collaborated with Nintendo and Illumination to “deliver that same ambition and energy to Mario’s Boots as one of the most famous plumbers in the world!” Dave Schneider, CMO of Red Wing Shoes, shared.
Cartoon Boot Trend
We have seen some cartoony boots coming to life in the last few months. These shoes are mind-bending and well-designed, making you feel like those wearing them have stepped out of a cartoon or game and got stuck halfway between cartoon and reality. So is this going to become a trend in the fashion world moving forward?
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TL;DR
- Nintendo and Illumination collaborated with Red Wing Shoes to bring Super Mario’s shoes off the screen and into reality.
- Red Wing made the shoes beautifully, with natural leather, slip-resistant treads, and even mushroom-based mycelium fabric and heel tabs for an extra “power-up”.
- The shoes are displayed at Nintendo New York at Rockefeller Centre throughout March and April.
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