When Original Stitch launched its officially licensed Pokémon Shirts last year, the thoughtful, exquisite designs for each individual Pokémon captured the attention of fans. The library of Pokémon designs expanded since then, and so has a number of styles available: dress shirts have grown into masks, aprons, and polo shirts. The polo shirts specifically now come with the addable option of an embroidered version of each region's starter Pokémon.
Pokémon Shirts were launched in October 2019 by Original Stitch, a high-end shirt tailor. Pokémon Shirts quickly garnered attention for their high quality, their designs, and their price tag - a basic dress shirt runs around $100, and a basic polo is about $85. Each product is completely customizable to the purchaser, not only in terms of style but content as well. For example, if someone wants an eye-popping hopping Magikarp shirt with a Lunetone pocket, they can have it.
The Original Stitch dress shirts include individual patterns representing every Pokémon from the Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn regions, as well as a few from Galar, including its starters. The polo shirts, on the other hand, focus on impressively detailed embroidered versions of Pokémon. When the line launched in summer 2020, the polo shirts offered embroidered versions of Kanto Pokémon only. As of July 2021, Original Stitch has now added embroidered starters from every region. Their evolutions are not yet available, but this addition does mean Rowlet is finally represented among the Pokémon Shirts.
Polo shirts can have multiple unique embroidered Pokémon on different locations like the sleeve, pocket, or back, so purchasers are free to theme their shirts as they please. Original Stitch is also added a sport version of the polo, which has an optional pop art-style base fabric of either Pikachu or Piplup. Shirts can also come with one of several different Poké Ball button designs.
While pricey, both the Pokémon Shirts and the Pokémon Polo Shirts are sleek, loving homages to the Pokémon they represent. Even designs that feature underrated Pokémon that don't get as much vocal adoration as the Pikachus or Cyndaquils of the world have been crafted with immense affection for their subjects. Many also feature "cameos" from other Pokémon: Pelipper, for example, showing its subject carrying a delighted Pichu in its bill. This makes picking out one $100 design a tricky decision. Thankfully, the shirt's pockets – even on the polo shirts – can feature a different Pokémon's design.
It was smart for Original Stitch to tackle its Pokémon designs by region, as this makes sure that every single Pokémon will, eventually, be counted for. There's something heartwarming about Slugma receiving the same attention and billing as Mew. Until the day every region's Pokémon can be filled in, at least having an embroidered version of every starter is a good start.
Source: Original Stitch