There is a huge misconception that contemporary costume design- that is, designing “everyday” clothing for characters in modern stories- is somehow easier than designing for period or fantasy genres. It is just as challenging & subject to much more scrutiny by a general audience.

Period costumes require a great deal of historical research (among other challenges), but in most cases the costume designer and historian/buff will be much more sensitive than a modern audience would be about authenticity and accuracy.

In one of many flashbacks in Uncharted 4, the three protagonists Nate, Sam & Rafe all wear a standard issue prison uniform comprised of a few basic articles of clothing. Here, the characters personalities come thru in subtle styling quirks unique to the character.

One of the biggest challenges for a contemporary costume designer is to make the end result so true to the char, so integrated within the narrative that the audience doesn’t question or even notice the costume upon initial viewing. Costume serves the narrative first & foremost.

This means that, if the design did what it set out to do, folks will rarely think or talk about it at all. Hitting the goal means little food for the ego. The fulfillment is truly in the work itself.