Whether you’re an avid gamer or just an occasional player, you can’t deny the allure of a virtual world. For a few hours, you can turn off your brain, and be transported to a new world; either becoming someone entirely new, or a leveled-up version of yourself—with the ability to wear cool outfits, kick butt, and defeat bad guys, of course. “There is a tremendous effect of being able to see yourself represented in media you enjoy,” says Sarah Robinson, the associate art director for the asymmetrical horror game Dead by Daylight. “It can also be an easy way to experiment with styles that you’re not necessarily comfortable doing in your day to day life.”

These days, some of the most popular video games on the market are doubling down on this concept of playing dress-up, investing in customizable outfits or skins that make their players feel instantly connected to their playable characters. Cultural couture, in particular, is trending: Games are now filled with traditional or historic cultural designs that reflect a wide variety of backgrounds and regions, allowing players to outfit their virtual characters with a sense of unique pride and celebration.

Earlier this week, Dead by Daylight—a game that revolves around four survivors who must escape a match against one blood-thirsty killer— introduced its very first Indigenous character, named Shane Wiigwaas. It’s a notable launch: very few Indigenous game characters exist in the world currently, and better yet, players will be able to outfit the character with his Anishinaabe nation’s traditional powwow regalia. This includes striking pieces such as a beaded vest, floral-embroidered breechcloth, feathered headpiece, and buckskin moccasins.

The Dead by Daylight design team worked closely with an Anishinaabe consultant to work on Wiigwaas’s historically-accurate designs. “Shane’s community is a huge part of who he is, and this was our opportunity to show the beauty and craftsmanship in the powwow outfits,” says Robinson. “For this, we weren’t inventing something from scratch, but had to be careful that we didn’t copy or infringe upon the work of skilled craftspeople who make these amazing outfits. This meant meticulously researching embroidery, their history and meaning, and the overall construction of these garments, so that we represented their beauty and complexity authentically.”

Dead by Daylight is not the only game that is zeroing in on such beautiful cultural outfits. From The Sims to Assassin’s Creed, a variety of new, genre-hopping games are releasing special virtual fashions that celebrate distinct communities.

It’s a movement that echoes the gaming world’s new high-fashion direction in general, too. Brands like Coach have recently collaborated with The Sims 4, while Balenciaga partnered with Fortnite a few years back, and Louis Vuitton with League of Legends—allowing players to dress their characters in their luxurious pieces.

In The Sims 4—the classic game where you create an avatar, build a house for them, and start a career and family for them—a recent West African collection was released, allowing players to outfit their Sims with the region’s signature bright colors and striking prints. In Where Winds Meet, an action-adventure game where your character wanders through China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, players are able to customize their look with a variety of regal Chinese fashions too, including the customary hanfus and qipaos.

In games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the character Naoe dons a Shinobi battle robe, while Fragpunk’s Kismet character dons a more cyberpunk take on a traditional qipao. In Fortnite, one of the most popular and widely-played games of the moment, the character Salvador sports a traditional Mexican “Day of the Dead” look, including the customary white face paint that reflects a calavera, a decorative skull that celebrates one’s ancestors.

These intricate video game looks, which pride themselves on their specificity and accuracy, are no doubt a refreshing addition to the world of gaming. They allow players to deck themselves out in outfits that properly reflect and express their identity. This matters to gamers in a big way: A recent report from the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media found that over 70 per cent of respondents agreed it’s very important to them that games feature diverse characters.

For the developers or designers leading the charge, they agree that these virtual fashions serve as something much more than just a visual form of play: They also cultivate a form of empowerment and representation. “Fashion in games provides players with the same experience that it does in real life,” says Robinson. “You can explore different identities, moods, or styles that help show off different aspects of who you are. In video games, you can be who ever you want to be!”