Every kid who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s knows about Mario, Princess Toadstool and the Mushroom Kingdom featured in Nintendo’s signature franchise. D@ Prince Customs used Mario and Princess Toadstool in their Super Mario Bros. 3 incarnations as inspiration for the Mushroom Kingdom Air Max 90s. You can check out more about these shoes at D@ Prince’s MySpace page linked here.

The image of Mario soaring through the air on the right shoe is taken from the game’s cover. Mario has just picked up a Super Leaf during his travels, allowing him to fly and giving him the appearance of a raccoon. The left shoe features perpetually distressed Princess Toadstool waiting for help as she is held hostage. I like the expression of surprise put on Princess Toadstool’s face by D@ Prince, making the shoes come to life when you put them together.

D@ Prince sets the action for the Mushroom Kingdom Air Max 90s against a yellow/blue backdrop. The yellow acts as the horizon line while the blue is the same light color used to represent the sky in the video game. I think D@ Prince outdid himself with the Mushroom Kingdom Air Max 90s by representing perfectly what makes Mario and Princess Toadstool such enduring characters.

March 17th, or better known as St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching, and UNDRCRWN wants us to know that while important, there is more to this day than just drinking.This year they will be releasing the Fighting Chicken tee, based on their mascot, Roscoe the Chicken.Act quick, numbers are limited.

Vans Vault will be releasing 2 new Chukkas and as usual it looks like it will be a solid release.This one is the Chukka Moc, and it features the normal Chukka attributes but has some features of a moccasin, especially in the stitching.You get to choose between black and brown suede colors.Check for these later this Fall.

Set to release ahead of normal weekend releases, The Akron Zoom VI made its debuted the night of the Slam Dunk Contest. The shoe pays homage to LeBron’s hometown of Akron Ohio. The navy blue, gold and white color way represents the University of Akron and the city itself as well. The navy blue upper is covered in sentimental images such as the street he grew up on. This colorway is a must have for any LeBron fan or basketball shoe connoisseur. These will be available Friday March 13 at The House of Hoops. Via: Foot Locker Unlocked

We received a slew of sneaker sketches recently from a young designer in Boise, Idaho named Cirq. Cirq is a 14-year old designer who is looking for customers to buy his designs. You can get in touch with the burgeoning sneaker artist by emailing [email protected] if you are interested in the designs below.

The design I enjoyed most out of the packet was the Nike Hyperdunk Z featured at the top of the post. Cirq says that he could customize these sneakers in a size 9 for about $120. A committed sneaker artist, Cirq can complete these designs in the matter of a few class periods. While the design suffers from a lack of color, the sketch shows that Cirq has a good eye for detail.

The remaining sketches are featured below with most ranging from $85 to $100 per pair in a size 8.5 or 9. We do not typically publish sketches or renderings of sneakers on MyAirShoes but Cirq’s detailed sketches show that he is making more than a half-hearted effort. Cirq’s early start in the world of sneaker art could mean a long career of customizing Nikes for loyal customers.

White means clean, pure, simple, and that’s what the Nike Court Tradition 2 reveals in the White/Blue/Silver colorway. The upper comes in White with a Blue embroidered Swoosh out-lined by Silver patched on both sides. It features a White synthetic mid-sole with Nike button tag, and a White/medium Blue out-sole. $103.