Lumiose City's Style Spell: Pokémon Legends: Z-A Finally Nails Fashion, But Forgets the Cultural Colour Palette
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Pokémon Legends: Z-A finally brings genuinely good, modern fashion to the series with versatile, timeless pieces, but it stumbles by omitting crucial layering options and, more significantly, by presenting an overwhelmingly homogenized, designer-label aesthetic that lacks cultural diversity and counter-culture, despite the game's theme of 'harmony out of difference.'
Right, so I’ve been tinkering with the latest buzz around Pokémon Legends: Z-A, specifically the fashion, and bloody hell, it’s a bit of a mixed bag, isn't it? Our mate Josh Broadwell over at Polygon spilled the beans on Lumiose City’s sartorial choices, and his observations are as sharp as a newly polished Poké Ball. This article is a repurposed dive into his excellent piece, "Pokémon Legends: Z-A's fashion is excellent, but way too homogenized," originally published on Polygon.
You know that feeling when Game Freak finally decides to cast a spell that works *mostly* as intended? That’s kind of what’s happening with Z-A’s fashion. For years, our Pokémon trainers have been stuck in a fashion rut. Remember those early days? You were locked into a look, whether you wanted to channel 'generic adventurer' or 'slightly less generic adventurer.' Then came the glorious (or inglorious, depending on your taste) era of customisation, which, let's be fair, often felt like choosing between various shades of 'meh.' Sword and Shield gave us options that felt… perfunctory. Like someone just ticked a box. "Oh, they want punk? Give 'em three variations of a spiked jacket!" And Scarlet and Violet? Don't even get me started. School uniforms forever, apparently. My avatar looked like they were perpetually late for detention, not saving the world.
But here’s where Z-A throws a curveball, a pleasant surprise that makes me think someone at Game Freak finally got a fashion magazine – or, more likely, stumbled through a portal to a dimension where contemporary style rules. Broadwell rightly points out that Z-A’s fashion feels *natural*. We’re talking athleisure, basics, streetwear – the kind of stuff you’d actually see someone wearing in, well, any modern city. It’s less about rigidly defined "styles" and more about versatile pieces. A hoodie? Streetwear. A denim shirt over a tee? Also streetwear. Skinny jeans, patchwork pants, even overalls? All in! It’s genuinely refreshing to see clothes that blend trendy with timeless, meaning your trainer won't look like they’ve just raided a discount bin from 2005.
Think about it: trench coats, crop-tops, leather jackets, sweater-shirts – these aren't just fleeting fads. They're staples that will still look decent in a decade. Even the starting outfit – a simple white shirt tucked into straight-leg jeans – is surprisingly chic. And the colour palettes? They actually make a difference! No longer just a different pattern slapped onto the same old sweater. You can get a biker jacket in black-and-red leather, or, if you fancy something a bit more subdued and classy, a tan version that almost looks like tweed. It’s a genuine step up, giving players more meaningful ways to express themselves, even if it's just swapping out chinos for a plaid variant.
However, like any spell, this fashion enchantment isn't without its… glitches. Broadwell highlights a fairly basic, yet crucial, missing feature: layering. You mean I can't combine that snazzy tweed biker jacket with my favourite basic white T-shirt? Instead, we get pre-built layers. While many of them are pretty good, it still feels like a missed opportunity for granular customisation. Honestly, for a game that’s otherwise so fashion-forward, it's a surprising oversight. Though, perhaps not *that* surprising for a series that still has characters silently miming conversations during cutscenes in 2025. Maybe next time, eh?
But the real head-scratcher, and arguably the more profound issue, is the lack of distinction and cultural diversity. Broadwell nails it: *every* clothing item in Z-A, from the snazziest trench coat to the ripped jeans, looks like it came straight off a designer label rack. Even the ripped jeans look perfectly distressed, not genuinely worn-out, and probably cost a fortune in-game (which is ironic, given the game apparently highlights how tough it is for youngsters to make money). There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a polished, preppy-leaning style, mind you. But when that's *all* you get, it paints a picture of Lumiose City as a place for a very specific type of person, from a very specific background, with a very specific outlook on life.
Where’s the punk scene? The grunge? The bohemian free spirits? The avant-garde experimentalists? Broadwell points out that there’s no counter-culture, no underground – just a uniformly well-turned-out populace. And before you start muttering, "Why would there be? It's Pokémon!" let’s not forget characters like Roxie and Elesa from Unova, who brought distinct, alternative styles to the table. They proved that variety isn't just nice-to-have; it's vital for self-expression and for reflecting the diverse world we live in – even a fantastical one populated by pocket monsters.
This isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about the underlying message. Z-A is purportedly about creating "harmony and unity out of difference." Yet, its fashion choices seem to shout, "Harmony through sameness!" It's a bit like trying to brew a powerful potion, getting the base ingredients right, but forgetting the exotic spices that give it true character. Variety in style, much like variety in thought or culture, fosters a richer, more inclusive environment. It allows players to truly see themselves reflected in the game world, or to explore identities beyond the mainstream. In a time when celebrating cultural and intellectual differences feels more important than ever, asking for a game to reflect more than one idea, more than one *look*, doesn't seem like too much, does it? Game Freak has made strides, sure, but it feels like they’ve stopped just short of casting the full, glorious fashion enchantment. Here’s hoping for an expansion pack that brings a bit more chaos and couture to Lumiose.
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This article was inspired by and repurposes content from "Pokémon Legends: Z-A's fashion is excellent, but way too homogenized" by Josh Broadwell, originally published on Polygon.
Tags: Pokémon, Game Freak, Fashion, Customization, Gaming Culture
Original article: Polygon