It's that time of year again—when creators and music-lovers alike flock to the desert for the cultural phenomenon that is Coachella. We've written about Coachella a lot over the years, and we probably won't stop anytime soon. After all, it’s been called the ‘Super Bowl of Influencers,’ and remains a signature event on the fashion industry calendar.
This year, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival took place over April 12-14th and April 19-21st. Overall, across all brands, Coachella amassed 450.1M in Engagement and $384.4M EMV globally between April 10th-22nd.
Coachella’s lineup included stars like Bebe Rexha, Kid Cudi, Little Mermaid's real-life big sister Chlöe, breakout rapper and T-Swift bestie Ice Spice, summertime sadness queen Lana Del Rey, and more.
For creators, Coachella is ultimately about the experience. It's not enough for brands to hope creators tag them in their posts—instead, brands should make it easy for creators to post about them on repeat, offering experiences that social media stars are eager to share with their followers.
Revolve and White House Boutique demonstrated this principle most effectively, creating exclusive, premium experiences that creators posted about with enthusiasm. As a result, Coachella offers a perfect model for how brands can track the impact of in-person events.
While I wasn't able to attend this year’s festival, thanks to social media, that doesn't stop me from telling you which fashion brands sparked the most buzz this year via their Coachella activations.
Coachella Revolves Around #RevolveFestival
Known for its annual #RevolveFestival, Revolve collected $16.8M EMV and 13.3M in Engagement. The invite-only festival takes place annually during the first weekend of Coachella in a nearby location.
Packed with carnival events, its own lineup of performances (shoutout to the Beliebers and Ludacris lovers out there), and a who's-who list of famous attendees, the Revolve Festival offers a premium way for movers and shakers in the creator economy to connect around the Coachella experience. It's no surprise that Revolve enjoyed one of the most impactful Coachella activations of any brand: #Coachella drove $2.1M EMV for Revolve and $1.3M in Engagement.
FWRD, Superdown, and the Camila Coelho Collection sparked most of the online conversation surrounding the Revolve Festival. While Revolve sells these fashion brands online, its RHODE Skin collaboration, which netted $573.0k EMV via #RevolveFestival, proved the power of B2B partnerships. An official sponsor of the Revolve Festival, RHODE Skin hosted a photobooth, giving creators a chance to capture the weekend while featuring products from both Revolve and RHODE Skin.
Actress Lili Reinhart (@lilireinhart on Instagram) shared her "overstimulating" weekend with fans via a carousel that included Lana Del Rey on the big screen, cotton candy, a moment from Doja Cat's frenzied blonde-hair performance, and, of course, an outfit shot of a sheer, floral two-piece from Revolve. Additionally, actress Megan Fox (@meganfox) shared her sleeve and blue hair, tagging Revolve and the Revolve Festival.
White Fox Boutique Is #UpToNoGood
White Fox Boutique is no stranger to crushing the Coachella game, which is why we featured them in our festival round-up back in 2022. This time around, White Fox Boutique launched its #UpToNoGoodFestivalTrip, which coincided with the first weekend of Coachella.
White Fox Boutique generated $1.8M EMV via posts mentioning Coachella, and $580.9k EMV from Coachella-related tags. Meanwhile, #UpToNoGoodFestivalTrip fueled $1.5M EMV.
White Fox invited select creators to crash at The White Fox House, where the perks included a styling suite and a White-Fox-branded pool complete with a White Fox flamingo floatie. Per Adelaine Morin (@adelainemorin on TikTok), the brand also sponsored nail sessions with Modern Pamper Salon, nail artists to luminaries like Hailey Bieber and Kylie Jenner.
Beyond the White Fox House, creators tagged the brand in content at the festival itself. Love Island UK star Chloe Burrows (@chloeburrows on Instagram) posed in a strappy White Fox Boutique black fit in front of the classic Spectra Coachella tower. It was giving "CHLOchellaaaa!!!"
Photo by Chloe Burrows on Instagram
A White Fox Boutique partner and #UptoNoGoodFestival invitee, Chloe also posted an additional white fishnet two-piece from the brand, offering her personalized discount code.
Throughout the festival, the brand partnered heavily with multiple Love Island UK and Love Island All Stars islanders: April activations also included Whitney Adebayo (@whitbrownsx), Jessie Wynter (@jessiereneewynter), and Georgia Harrison (@georgialouiseharrison). All in all, the White Fox House marked a highly successful activation for White Fox Boutique.
Adidas, A Day One for Coachella
What is a lewk without the perfect shoe? A festival fit without the perfect skirt? For many Coachella-goers, Adidas emerged as the brand of choice, amassing $1.4M EMV via Coachella posts.
Photo by Amadi Oubichon on Instagram
TikToker and soccer player Noah Beck (@noahbeck) wore Adidas shoes for Coachella day one. Meanwhile, creator Amadi Oubichon (@amadiakilah) donned a pair of cheetah-print Adidas with a matching hair scarf.
Beyond the perfect pair of sneaks, Marvel superhero Xochitl Gómez (@_xochitl.gomez) donned an Adidas skirt, tagging the brand in her Coachella day one post and a festival recap post.
Photo by Xochitl Gómez on Instagram
Following Coachella, Adidas announced Xochitl as the new face of Adidas sportswear. Adidas also stayed active with select creators, styling Ashley Alexander (@aaashleyk) for Coachella.
Free People Powers Lanacella
Boho fashion brand Free People made its mark on Coachella this year. Free People inspired $1.2M EMV via Coachella content, along with $896.6k EMV via Coachella-related tags.
Makeup artist Geena Hunt (@makeupbygeenahunt) got ready for "Lanachella," demonstrating how to get the perfect vintage curls in a Reel that tagged Free People. Additionally, creator Ashley Jones (@_thtblasiangirl) featured a Free People skirt in a catchy Reel set to Tyla's "ART."
Photo by Tabitha Swatosh on Instagram
Meanwhile, Tabitha Swatosh (@tabithaswatosh), the "big sister of the Internet," posed in front of the Coachella Spectra art installation wearing Free People (and Steve Madden boots).
Free People has a dedicated festival outfits section on its website, which frequently shows up in posts where creators ask their followers to help them choose what outfits to wear to Coachella. However, posts about Free People tended to focus more on outfits and getting ready, as opposed to the Coachella experience that the brand facilitated for creators.
Steve Madden Makes You Cuter
Becky G at Coachella 2024, wearing Steve Madden, Photo by Getty Images
Steve Madden closed Coachella season with $1.0M EMV for Coachella posts. Musician Becky G kicked off the festival with black Steve Madden cowboy boots for her weekend one performance.
Creators consistently showed off their favorite Madden shoes, including Bretman Rock (@bretmanrock), who rocked white boots all Coachella long.
Photo by Bretman Rock on Instagram
Tabitha Swatosh, meanwhile, included Steve Madden in both a day two Coachella post and a Coachella weekend one content dump.
Photo by Tabitha Swatosh on Instagram
Plus, creator and educator Mei Mei Monstaa (@meimonstaa) complemented a sheer white coverup with bright red Madden boots.
Photo by Mei Mei Monstaa on Instagram
Altogether, Steve Madden's Coachella 2024 efforts demonstrate the brand’s winning efforts to get in front of the right combination of people, from micro-influencers to powerhouses like Becky G. The brand also took advantage of the cowboy trend that’s sweeping fashion, inspired in part by the release of Beyonce's latest album.
What’s Next for Coachella
While the fashion industry remains the bread of Coachella, and beauty the butter, it’s important to note that a new player is cashing in on the festival's promise: the food and beverage industry also made waves this year with a range of creative partnerships. Celsius, 818 Tequila, and Poppi boasted prominent Coachella activations, with Celsius claiming $2.4M EMV via Coachella-related tags. For now Coachella is the epicenter of the Influencer Olympics
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