Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Fashion Evolution and Missed Opportunities

Unveiling the Style Revolution in Lumiose City

The Evolution of Style in the Pokémon Universe

For many years, the interaction between players and in-game attire in Pokémon titles was quite restricted. Early iterations offered minimal personalization, essentially confining players to predetermined appearances. As customization options gradually became available, they often failed to deliver meaningful enhancements. However, Pokémon Legends: Z-A marks a significant turning point, redefining the series' approach to fashion by embracing both enduring and current design principles in a way not previously observed.

A Glimpse into Prior Fashion Faux Pas

Previous Pokémon titles often provided superficial clothing choices. For instance, in Pokémon Sword and Shield, the available outfits felt like mere superficial acknowledgments of particular styles, offering little room for individual expression. Shops typically featured a limited selection of basic designs, such as preppy or punk variations, which stifled creativity. Similarly, the fashion direction in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet seemed perplexing, leading many to question the underlying design philosophy.

The Contemporary Aesthetic of Legends: Z-A

Legends: Z-A moves beyond rigid stylistic categories, instead providing a range of versatile pieces that align with broad themes like athleisure, essential wear, and street fashion. This approach results in clothing options that genuinely reflect what a modern city dweller might wear. Streetwear, in particular, is presented as an inclusive category encompassing a wide array of casual apparel, from hoodies and denim shirts to skinny jeans and plaid patterns, making it highly adaptable.

Timeless Appeal and Versatile Hues

A notable strength of Z-A's wardrobe is its blend of trendy and timeless designs. Unlike the geographically specific outfits in Sword and Shield, the apparel here—including trench coats, crop-tops, and leather jackets—possesses a universal appeal that ensures longevity in style. Even the default attire, a simple white shirt with straight-leg jeans, is fashionable enough to be worn throughout the game, especially when complemented by suitable accessories.

Enhanced Color Customization

In contrast to earlier games where color variations primarily introduced different patterns, Legends: Z-A utilizes color palettes to create more impactful distinctions. A biker jacket, for example, can be purchased in classic black and red leather or in a tan shade that imparts a sophisticated, tweed-like appearance. The game's diverse color options extend to various other items, such as chinos, which come in enough solids and plaids to facilitate numerous outfit combinations with just a few pairs.

An Unforeseen Gap in Layering Options

Despite its fashion-forward stance, Legends: Z-A surprisingly lacks a fundamental feature: clothing layering. The inability to combine items like a tweed biker jacket with a simple white T-shirt is a notable oversight. While many of the pre-designed layered outfits are well-executed, the absence of more granular customization options is a missed opportunity for a game otherwise dedicated to style. This omission feels particularly incongruous in a series that, even in 2025, features characters silently conversing during cutscenes.

The Absence of Cultural Diversity and Counter-Culture

A more critical shortcoming in Legends: Z-A's fashion landscape is the pervasive uniformity and lack of cultural distinction. Every clothing item, including seemingly distressed jeans, appears polished and designer-label quality, often at a high cost, which contrasts oddly with the game's portrayal of economic challenges for younger characters. While there is nothing inherently wrong with a refined aesthetic, its singular dominance creates an impression of a city catering exclusively to a particular demographic and mindset.

The Imperative of Representation in a Harmonious World

Lumiose City, as depicted, lacks any sense of an underground movement, grunge, punk, or experimental high fashion, creating an environment devoid of counter-cultural expression. This homogeneity stands in stark contrast to the game's overarching theme of fostering harmony and unity from differences. In an era where cultural distinctions are often marginalized, it is crucial for a game that advocates for togetherness to reflect a broader spectrum of styles and identities. The choice of attire sends a message, and it appears that Game Freak may not have fully considered the implications of this uniform aesthetic.