Pokemon GO Fashion Challenge Trainers: Why?

Fashionable Trainers are appearing at Pokestops during Fashion Week 2021 in Pokemon GO. You'll need to challenge a few of them to complete your Event-exclusive Timed Research for Fashion Week (September 21 through the 28th), but outside of those requirements, is there another reason why you'd want to go out of your way to challenge these game-controlled opponents? They're not like Team GO Rocket, they won't allow you to catch any Shadow Pokemon, so what's up?

The first Fashion Challengers (or Fashionable Challengers) include Cool, Eccentric, Quirky, Sassy, and Slick. Each of them starts with a Furfrou, but their second and third Pokemon are all different. None of these Pokemon are particularly difficult to beat – they're not quite as strong as what we've seen with some Team GO Rocket grunts and leaders.

• Quirky Challenger has Furfrou, Braixen, and Shinx.

• Sassy Challenger has Furfrou, Butterfree, and Vaporeon.

• Slick Challenger has Furfrou, Croagunk, and Obstagoon.

• Cool Challenger has Furfrou, Seeasel, and Gothitelle.

• Eccentric Challenger has Furfrou, Graveler, and Blitzle.

Timed Research for the Fashion Week 2021 event includes battling Fashion Challengers. In step 1 you'll need to battle 1 Fashion Challenger. Step 3 requires you to battle 3 Fashion Challengers, and Step 5 requires 5 Fashion Challengers. Other than that, you do not need to battle ANY Fashion Challengers if you do not want to do so – just like your average trainer in the main series of Pokemon games.

At the same time, just like the main series of Pokemon games and the trainers therein, there ARE reasons why you might want to go ahead and battle as many as you can. Each time you beat a Fashionable Trainer in a battle, you get rewards.

Team GO Rocket abandons a Pokemon each time they lose a trainer battle – their loss, your opportunity to own a powerful Pokemon. With the Fashionable Trainers crew, you're not getting any new Pokemon. Instead, you're getting rewards like Pokeballs, Max Revive medicine, and Stardust. SEE TOO: All about Furfrou

There is no entry fee for battling a Fashionable Trainer, but the Pokemon you use will need to be revived and/or healed if they take any damage in said battle. The Stardust reward alone might be worth your effort.

There'll also be more Fashionable Trainers – and different Fashionable Trainers – as this event goes on. Be sure to take a peek at what they have to offer, at least enough to complete your research!