Custom of the Month - March - 2026 | Skinz Time
- Johnny Skinz
- Apr 5
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 2
Coming to you live from the Mushroom Kingdom! Johnny reminisces on his favorite design from March, an homage to 80s video game hero and everyone's favorite Italian plumber, Mario, for Nike's Air Max Day.
The Concept
As I approached 2026, I knew I wanted to add some new pieces to the 80s Collection, and what better place to start than by paying tribute to one of the original video game legends. The release of the design would coincide with Nike Air Max Day, held on March 26th to celebrate one of the brand's most famous lines. The plan was to bring together elements from Super Mario Bros, the 1985 NES side-scroller, to the Nike Air Max 90 and to make them as wearable as possible.
The Breakdown
The biggest design challenge for this pair was deciding which Mario version to commit to. Since I wanted to stick to the 1980s, it narrowed down my choices. I decided to go with a Super Mario Bros theme, specifically taking elements from the first level and incorporating it into the shoe. I added a brick pattern to the bottom portion, added brown to the rubber heel and lace guard, and painted the upper portion to match the sky. For the tongue tag, I painted it to look like the power-up bricks.
The most difficult part of this design was overlaying the brick details onto the shoe. The 8-bit line work was a challenge to lay down, but in the end, the result came out great.
Why This One Sticks With Me
I was a Sega Genesis kid growing up, but I always appreciated the appeal of Mario. From playing Super Mario World on my cousin's SNES at my grandma's house, or staying up all night playing Super Mario 64 at sleepovers throughout elementary school, Mario consumed a lot of my gaming time growing up. The nostalgia came rushing back while making this pair and I had vivid memories of moments playing through the Mario titles. I hope to evoke similar feelings for people who see the pair and for myself, as I add new designs to the 80s Collection.
Interested in your own custom pair inspired by your favorite cartoon, movie, or era? Commission a pair here or check out the full 80s Collection.
Follow the behind-the-scenes process on Instagram @skinzcustoms.
Comments