Pokemon Fashion

Pokemon and merch - name a more iconic duo. Pokemon-branded shirts have been around since nearly the inception of the brand. However, Pokemon-branded fashion is a little newer. What’s the difference? ‘merch’ refers to just your basic shirts and jackets with Pokemon imagery pasted it. ‘fashion’ refers to collaborations with designers or fashion brands that’s meant to not just be a fun t-shirt, but to be part of a wardrobe. It is designed more intentionally - at least in theory. I want to take a look at Pokemon fashion collaborations and consider which ones look good and which ones do not.

Levi’s Pokemon 25th Anniversary Collaboration

A 2021 collaboration with Levi's that is no longer available. You can see the lookbook and some of the other images on other websites.

This collaboration with famed denim company Levi's left a lot to be desired. It fell into some of my least favorite design tropes, namely "grab official art and slap it on something." This makes it feel like a more expensive and larger version of the Pokemon t-shirts targeted at children you can find at stores like Target and Old Navy. This might be acceptable if the prices were Target and Old Navy prices, but these collabs are rarely "affordable." I will be skipping over the various shirts and hoodies that are just official art on a background and focusing on the more interesting or unusual pieces.

The Pikachu Trucker Jacket

This is a light wash denim jacket with a lightning bolt applique near the sleeve cuffs, a Pokeball applique on the back yoke near the shoulder, and a giant Pikachu applique on the back.

I like the decision to go with a lightwash here to harmonize with the bright yellow of Pikachu. The front of the jacket looks pretty good. Overall, though, it is pretty lazy, design-wise. It would not be especially difficult for someone with a cricut to basically replicate this design, and with a more well-fitting jacket. The giant Pikachu on the back looks tacky and screams “merch” more than “fashion.” The Pokeball applique on the back yoke is a nice touch, as are the lightning bolt sleeve decorations, but you could easily make these yourselves without paying scalper prices. Because the Pikachu bit is on the back, this jacket could be easily integrated into your existing wardrobe, with the lightning sleeves looking like an elevated detail.

The Pikachu Jeans

Same light wash as the jacket. This is even worse. The jacket had some details that made it stand out, but this is literally slapping Pikachu on the thigh and back ankle. This doesn’t look like something that you can easily wear with other shirts because the Pikachu is just so obviously begging for attention. There are no lightning motifs or otherwise thoughtful details to make this standout. Once again, you can make this at home, but I would recommend against it.

Misty’s (Togepi) Tank Top

A light yellow cropped sleeveless tee with a Togepi applique. The Pokemon aspect is subtle but present - from the obvious throwback to Misty’s outfit in the anime to the small applique. It seems like it could be easily integrated into a wardrobe, worn with any pants or jacket. Issues - it does not look like it fits well on the model near the armpit, which is concerning! The crop also looks awkward, creating a belly gap even in high waisted jeans. It’s not a slim-fitting top either, so it balloons out near the waist.