The 24th edition of Coachella ended Sunday night, with the star-studded festival once again delivering performances — and outfits — that turned heads.
The predominant feeling is that the fashion at the annual music and arts festival is different from that of recent editions. The shift is perhaps epitomized by Vanessa Hudgens — once dubbed the “Queen of Coachella” — whose boho-chic aesthetic, long synonymous with the festival held in hot Indio, California, made way for the kind of pared-back, anodyne approach now adopted by many of today’s attendees.
This may be partly due to a desire to blend in: Swaths of celebrities, including Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, as well as Justin and Hailey Bieber, were spotted on the festival’s first weekend, mingling in the crowd with regular festival guests. But there were also several A-listers who brought the heat to the desert with unique, eye-catching looks.
In a far cry from her “The White Lotus” character’s uniform, Lisa opted for custom reptile suits by designer Asher Levine for her solo performances on both weekends. Fellow Blackpink member turned solo act Jennie went in a different sartorial direction, channelling cowgirl vibes as she wore mini vinyl shorts and a cowboy hat across both the first and second weekend. (Tiny bottoms appeared to be a theme this year, with Tyla, Megan Thee Stallion, GloRilla, and Victoria Monét also wearing micro-shorts during their performances.)
Headliner Lady Gaga opened the festival — dubbed “Gagachella” by her fans — with a high-octane set lasting nearly two hours. Among her many outfit changes included a custom feathery number by provocative fashion label Fecal Matter and a magician’s outfit with a joker-esque headpiece. Other performers also opted for striking headgear: Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner wore a ruffled piece by milliner Heather Huey, while Marina matched her headscarf to the rest of her pink sequined look by Deniz Blumenstein.
From boyband Enhypen, who wore custom outfits from streetwear label Who Decides War, to T-Pain, who took to the stage in an elaborate steampunk-inspired outfit, male performers also brought their A-game. Though, not everyone got it right: singer Mohamed Ramadan tried to course correct after wearing a pharaonic outfit (intended to be a tribute to his Egyptian heritage) in the first weekend. The look drew criticism from fans in his home country who felt that it did not offer a suitable representation of Egypt. For the second weekend, he opted for a different regal look, matching his circular zipper-detailed jacket with a silver crown.
The true style pioneer among the men, however, might still be Bernie Sanders. Never one to conform, the US senator stood out in an outfit rarely spotted in the desert. In his trusty navy blazer and light blue button-up shirt, he gave a different kind of performance: delivering a speech on stage before singer-songwriter Clairo’s set in the first weekend.
Scroll down for some of the most eye-catching looks from the festival this year.
