So, it's that time of year again where your local park turns into a high-fashion runway, except the models are giant blue dogs and electrical mice wearing bowler hats. Pokemon Go Fashion Week 2025 is officially here. Honestly, if you’ve played through previous iterations of this event, you probably have a love-hate relationship with it. On one hand, the costumes are adorable. On the other hand, my inventory is currently a graveyard of Squirtles in top hats that I can't even evolve.
But things feel a bit different this time around. Niantic seems to have actually listened to the community's collective sigh regarding "non-evolvable" event Pokemon.
The Real Star of the Show: Mareanie and More
Every year has its "it" Pokemon. Remember when Furfrou debuted? It was absolute chaos on the GTS. This year, the focus has shifted toward some of the Alolan and Galar favorites getting the "drip" treatment. We are seeing the debut of Costumed Mareanie, sporting a look that is surprisingly chic for a creature that spends its time eating Corsola branches.
What makes the 2025 edition stand out isn't just the aesthetics; it’s the utility. In previous years, catching a shiny event Pokemon was a bittersweet moment. You’d get the sparkles, but you’d realize it was stuck in its base form forever. This year, more costumed variants are finally getting their evolution chains unlocked. If you manage to snag a Shiny Blitzle with those sharp blue lightning bolts and a fashionable collar, you can actually turn it into a Zebstrika this time. It’s a small change, but for hardcore collectors, it's basically everything.
What Actually Matters in the Pokemon Go Fashion Week 2025 Spawns
Let’s talk about the wild. You’re going to see a lot of the usual suspects. Diglett with the hat? Check. Croagunk with the backwards cap? Obviously. However, the spawn pool has been tightened up to include more "meta-relevant" fashionistas.
Butterfree with the little bow is back, and while it might look dainty, a high-IV Butterfree is a surprisingly annoying spice pick in certain Great League formats. You should also keep a sharp eye out for Gothita. While it doesn’t have a costume this year, its increased spawn rate during the event is a godsend for anyone trying to farm XL candy for a Gothitelle build.
Then there are the raids.
Raids are where things get pricey, but also where the real rewards live. You’ve got the 1-star raids featuring the "cheaper" costumes, but the 3-star raids are featuring Gallade and Gardevoir wearing formal attire. If you missed out on these during the previous Sinnoh or Hoenn tours, now is the time to burn those passes. Seeing a Gardevoir in a dress while it’s literally wearing a "fashion" dress is a bit "Inception," but the community is eating it up.
The Gritty Reality of the Shiny Hunt
Let's be real for a second. The shiny rates for Fashion Week are notoriously fickle. While Niantic doesn't explicitly publish the exact odds—usually hovering around the standard 1 in 512 for wild spawns—the sheer volume of event-specific spawns makes it feel more attainable.
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The "white whale" for 2025 is definitely the Shiny Costumed Absol. It shows up in the wild, but the encounter rate is low. It’s one of those Pokemon that looks genuinely "high fashion" even without the sunglasses, but with them? It's easily the coolest thing in the game right now. If you see one on your "Nearby" radar, drop whatever you're doing. Run.
Why Fashion Week 2025 Hits Different for Competitive Players
Most people think of this as a "casual" event. They think it's just for the folks who want to dress up their avatars (though the new 2025 streetwear items in the shop are actually pretty fire). But if you’re a GBL (Go Battle League) sweater, you know that Fashion Week is secretly a Stardust goldmine.
The event-themed field research tasks are notoriously easy. "Take a snapshot of a wild Pokemon" or "Power up a Pokemon 3 times" are common tasks that frequently reward encounters with Pokemon like Mareanie or even Meowth (both Alolan and Galarian). Since Meowth is a boosted Stardust catch, clearing these tasks quickly can lead to a massive influx of dust.
- Pro Tip: Stack your "Catch a Meowth" rewards.
- Wait for a 2x Stardust window or pop a Star Piece.
- Clear the stack.
- Profit.
It’s a grind, but it’s a stylish one.
The Avatar Overhaul and Shop Controversy
We have to address the elephant in the room. The avatar system updates from last year were... controversial, to say the least. Some people loved the customization; others felt like their characters suddenly looked like they’d been through a weird, uncanny valley filter.
For Pokemon Go Fashion Week 2025, Niantic has introduced "layered" clothing. This means you can finally wear certain jackets over certain shirts without the textures clipping into each other (mostly). They’ve also dropped a collaboration with some real-world fashion influences, though they’ve kept the names a bit more subtle this time.
The prices, though? Still steep. 400 PokeCoins for a jacket is a tough pill to swallow when that could be four remote raid passes. But hey, if you want to look the part while you're standing in the rain at a local park, that’s the price you pay for style.
Navigating the Limited Research: Don't Forget Your Snapshot
The timed research this year is tiered. It starts off incredibly easy—basically just asking you to exist in the game—but the final stages require some effort. You’ll be tasked with "Battling a Fashion Lead." These are the NPCs that show up at PokeStops, similar to Team GO Rocket Grunts but way more fabulous.
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These battles aren't particularly difficult. They usually lead with a Furfrou or a Smeargle. However, the rewards for defeating them include "Fashionable" encounters that have a higher-than-average floor for IVs. This is your best bet for snagging a hundo (100% IV) costumed Pokemon.
A Note on the Smeargle Photobomb
If you aren't taking your five snapshots a day, you are literally throwing away free encounters. Smeargle appearing in his little hat is a Fashion Week staple. In 2025, there’s a slight chance for Smeargle to be shiny, which is rare enough that it carries some serious trading weight.
Don't just snap and quit. Actually check the encounter. It takes ten seconds.
What Most People Get Wrong About Furfrou Trims
Furfrou is the mascot of Pokemon Go Fashion Week 2025, and yet, people still don't understand how the trims work. It is location-based. You cannot get the "La Reine" trim unless you are physically in France. You aren't getting the "Kabuki" trim unless you're in Japan.
During this event, however, the Heart Trim is usually made available globally. This is the one time of year you can change your Furfrou into that specific pink-accented look regardless of where you live. If you have a Shiny Furfrou, changing it to the Heart Trim makes it one of the most valuable trade pieces in the entire ecosystem of Pokemon Home and Pokemon Go.
People will trade legendaries for a Shiny Heart Trim Furfrou. Seriously.
Is the Paid Ticket Worth It?
There is, as always, a $2.00 (or your local equivalent) ticketed research. This year, it’s called "The Runway Path."
Is it worth it?
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If you want an extra encounter with a guaranteed costumed legendary (likely a repeat of something like Kirlia or a specific hat-wearing Bird), then sure. But honestly? The free experience is robust enough this year that the paid ticket feels purely optional. It’s mostly just extra candy and a few more chances at a shiny. If you’re a completionist, you’ve already bought it. If you’re a budget player, you really aren't missing out on any "meta-breaking" mechanics.
Practical Next Steps for Your Fashion Week Grind
You’ve got a limited window to make the most of this. The event doesn't last forever, and once it's gone, these costumes won't be back for at least another year.
First, prioritize your storage. Clear out at least 100 spaces. You’re going to be catching a lot of trash just to find the gems.
Second, focus on the 7km eggs. This year’s egg pool is actually decent. It’s not just the same three babies we’ve seen for years. There are some costumed Alolan forms in there that have great shiny odds compared to the wild spawns. If you have some leftover Incubators, this is the time to burn them.
Third, hit the PokeStops in high-traffic areas. The "Fashion Lead" NPCs tend to cluster in downtown areas or popular malls. These are the fastest way to churn through the timed research.
Finally, don't ignore the trading scene. If you catch a duplicate shiny costume, find a local Discord or Campfire group. Fashion Week costumes are the premier "currency" for getting those regional Pokemon you’re missing from your Pokedex.
The 2025 season has proven that Pokemon Go can still make these recurring events feel somewhat fresh. It’s not a total reinvention of the wheel, but the quality-of-life updates to evolutions and the better spawn variety make it a solid week for any trainer. Go out, get your snapshots, and for the love of Arceus, don't forget to evolve that Blitzle before the event ends and you forget for another twelve months.