Arguably the most famous video game character ever, created by Nintendo in 1981 and conceptualized by Japanese game author Shigeru Miyamoto, Super Mario is the fictional plumber who has accompanied generations of gamers and also became recognizable by his look, consisting of his red hat, blue dungarees, white gloves and big brown work shoes. The latter have recently become real, created by a collaboration between Nintendo and Red Wing and unveiled last March 10 at Nintendo’s New York store on Mario Day.
The brand collaborated with the creative team of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, to be released in Italy on April 5, 2023. The model is designed as a real work shoe, and especially to be worn given the use of a non-slip sole and leather typical of Red Wing models, a brand recognized for the quality of its products. The shoes will be on display in the New York store starting April 10, and the design confirms a fashion trend to be inspired by cartoons, as was the case in recent weeks with MSCHF’s much-talked-about red boots inspired by the AstroBoy cartoon.
A curious detail of the shoe is the inclusion of elements made from mushrooms, a central element in the video game saga that is combined with a rounded shape that almost creates a caricature of the classic leather shoe. The boots at the moment are not purchasable but made only in a limited edition, but if fashion continues to follow this cartooncore and the trend of creating collections that aim without hiding to become social memes as well, we can expect sooner or later that we will see Super Mario, Nintendo and Red Wing boots in some boutique.
