How Coachella Became an Influential Mitt Gala

Every second and third Friday in April, more than 250,000 anti-musicians cross the billboard-lined streets of Indio, California for the annual Coachella music and arts festival. Among them are thousands of social media creators who arrive with suitcases full of clothes that have been carefully preserved for weeks or sometimes months ahead of the three-day event. In the bundle, they move into their branded homes, attend exclusive pre- and post-parties, share aspirational #ads and most importantly, show off their bold looks for the weekend. For influencers, Coachella is their Met Gala.

But, how did a music festival that started as an indie punk-rock event turn into a multi-level, brand-sponsored fashion extravaganza? Let’s step back to review.

When Coachella first hit the scene in 1999, it wasn’t the highly sponsored, styled event it is today. It runs under the radar for just one day, and attendees mostly wrap up in band tees and typical summer items (think tank tops, vintage jeans, shorts, and wide-leg pants). There were no expectations or previously set trends to adhere to; Instead, the emphasis is on comfort and functionality – and of course on the music.

But that doesn’t last long. In the early days of the Outs, the festival blossomed into a multi-day music and arts event with wide representation of various musical genres. As a result, various fandoms set up camp in the desert and with them began to infiltrate the first fashion of the festival.

In the year In the 2000s, social media didn’t have the constant grip on society it has today. Sure, MySpace and Facebook were going head-to-head at the time, but #contenthunger wasn’t that prevalent. So it was mainly the paparazzi-pushed A-listers who attended the event that set the dress codes – and there were a lot of them.

Johnny Depp, who often appeared in vintage graphic t-shirts and fedoras, was one of the most prominent of the festival’s bohemian fashions, arguably the most popular of the various tropes of the moment. Men’s looks include a mix of surf-inspired board shorts, t-shirts and beachy necklaces. Popular with the likes of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, the feminine fit is paired with a peasant dress with a maxi skirt and oversized sunglasses.

Thanks to festival-goers like Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner, who sported leather jackets, old band t-shirts, Converse sneakers and sunglasses, the “indie rocker” aesthetic was amped up. Meanwhile, the fast-evolving hip-hop style of the era, featuring oversized tees, baggy shoes and sneakers, made its way to the deserts of Southern California. JAY-Z and Ye, among others, can take credit here.

As the decade wore on, the April eyes of the world began to fixate on Coachella: the music, the art and increasingly, the fashion.

With its growing cultural relevance, Coachella began to evolve into the multifaceted, label-laden experience it is today. In the year In 2006, the festival formed an inaugural partnership with Heineken to produce popular on-site experiences. The important partnership for the festival is the first of Coachella’s biggest brand investments ever, with companies such as H&M, American Express and Absolut Vodka partnering with the festival in the coming years.

In the year In the early 2010s, when social media platforms, especially Instagram, became popular, fashion brands everywhere began to see the festival as an ideal opportunity to connect with the youth.

Among them, fashion retailer Revolve quickly became synonymous with the festival, with the now-controversial Revolve Fest. Held nearby on the same weekend as Coachella, the event proved to be a must-attend attraction for both celebrities and influencers, many of whom were (and still are) dressed head-to-toe in the brand’s festival-ready designs. . Other brands, including Levi’s, Puma, Guess and Forever 21, have similarly begun looking to Coachella as a partner to showcase their products alongside a wide range of influencer collaborations.

At this time, celebrities started using social media to attract more attention to their festival. (I think we all remember Vanessa Hudgens or the informal “Coachella Queen” of the 2010s and her viral flower crowns). But it was during this season that popular YouTube and Instagram creators — the Zoellas, Tyler Oakleys, Amy Songs and the Marcus Butlers of the world — traveled outside of Los Angeles to create Coachella content. The event not only gave ‘OG’ influencers a chance to connect with each other, but also created a space for social media celebrities to showcase their personal style, promote brands and share their experiences with their fans. A celebrity can.

Many with expertise in fashion, beauty and lifestyle used Coachella to introduce new trends. Around 2014 and 2015, when influencers started flocking to Indio in large numbers, their influence was most felt on the festival’s fashion culture. The goal, for all attendees, was to stand out, but influencers took this goal a step further, pushing the boundaries with the most creative fashion choices, collaborating with brands to create custom looks, and some even hiring stylists for the weekend — all in pursuit. Online engagement has increased.

As a result, the style codes of Coachella in the 2010s have become individualistic, attention-grabbing and explosive. Bold, vivid prints often permeated wide-ranging looks at the event, with many opting for geometric and floral iterations on printed button-downs, jumpsuits and rompers. The bohemian trend continues to stand out and accessories are added for statement pieces. Round glasses, colorful jewelry, western belts, boots and hats became uniform, with patchwork and embroidered jeans emerging as key trends. Of course, social media creators are not solely responsible for this change, but their influence is certainly a debatable issue.

Meanwhile (and all the dollar signs that broadcast the event) it was only before festival fashion became an industry in its own right. As celebrities and social media influencers began to largely influence the public’s style for the festival, brands began to develop collections aimed at Coachella attendees. The market, which continues to grow (for better or worse), has become an integral part of the festival experience.

However, Coca-Cola’s mushroom Rolodex of brand partnerships — and the outdoor flood of festival-specific product categories and influencer brand deals — hasn’t gone without controversy. Critics have argued that the festival and its participants’ intensive advertising has taken the focus away from the music and the original artistic spirit of Coachella. Others raise concerns about the festival’s environmental impact, with large amounts of waste caused by celebrity activations and one-off productions. Despite this, it’s no secret that the festival’s partnerships – and those around it – have contributed significantly to its growth.

In recent years, Coachella has become one of the most documented music festivals on social media, with thousands of influencers and regular people posting and posting about the experience every year. After Coachella was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the event’s return reflects the pattern of festival-goers last year, which tried to make up for lost time with big or go home.

Thanks to Tik Tok’s meteoric growth, there was an entirely new episode of the desert’s first “For You” faces and a short roundtable where anyone and everyone weighed in on the festival’s happenings. Many creators have made the Internet sing and dance, choosing to share the most selected highlights from the festival. Others offer a literal take on the “real” Coachella experience, detailing the oppressive dust of the desert, massive lines, and logistical problems. Between the two, conversations about publishers’ styles came to the fore.

Among the social media celebs, the talented Kaye sported a bright all-pink look, with flared trousers, a utility coat and a graphic-heavy button down. Elsewhere, Brettman Rock looked ready for holiday battle in a distressed, neon-green denim ensemble, while Ricky Thompson rocked a leather jacket with strikingly wide shoulders and matching, lace trousers, from his partner Denzel Dion’s fashion label Noid, alongside the likes of Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber and Kylie Jenner. Celebrities like Jenner entered the festival grounds in deliberately low-cut styles, including leather jackets, white t-shirts and denim variations.

Where real celebrities opt for a simple look, content creators have left nothing unsaid. The stark contrast between their merchandise leads us to our first point: Coachella has become the Met Gala of influencers.

Now, of course, not of The Met Gala, or anything close to it (Coachella is still a music festival, after all), but the experience gives social media creators a moment to show off their high fashion taste in the same way. Their entire livelihood depends on driving engagement on their social media accounts, so why not try to create the biggest moment possible, well, anything? Coachella, in particular, offers great backdrops, brand deals, and collaboration opportunities to make it right over three full days. The approach is logical.

And frankly, from the audience’s point of view, it’s really fun to witness fashionable experiments on the festival grounds. In an age where the uber-rich and uber-famous are mostly opting for quiet luxury and “steal-wealth” styles, it’s refreshing to see content creators taking risks with cocky images and bold designs. Of course, their fashion choices won’t please everyone, but that’s always the case. And wouldn’t that make for a great conversation about style?

All this aside, it’s important to remember that most Coachella-goers are there to see their favorite artists and have a good time. While the festival has evolved dramatically over the past two decades, the music still hits the mainstream. But, we’d be lying if we said we weren’t excited to analyze the fit photos coming this weekend.