Coachella blends music and fashion

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Festival fashion” is a thing, and Coachella is the place.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, held in the Southern California desert on two consecutive weekends beginning Friday, is a style destination as much as a musical one — this year more than ever. Besides the ever-growing array of off-site parties and sponsored suites, there are now runway shows and a popup fashion store on festival grounds.

So what is the Coachella look? Think hippie meets hipster: lots of fringe and crochet, with a requisite floral headband or floppy sun hat. Just google “Vanessa Hudgens Coachella.”

And it goes way beyond the festival, which started humbly in the grunge days of 1999. Because the event comes so early in the spring, when much of the country is still defrosting from winter, “festival fashion” informs spring, summer and resort styles.

Fashionistas say a convergence of cool elements make Coachella a haute spot: It boasts an eclectic lineup of musicians (AC/ DC, Jack White and Drake are headliners this year); its proximity to Los Angeles means a high celebrity quotient; and its audience is plugged into Instagram, so images of the festival and its fashion span the world in real time.

“Social media has had a huge influence on everyone getting involved,” said Lisa Sugar, founder of lifestyle site POPSUGAR.com, which is hosting three days of fashion events in nearby Palm Springs, California. Brands are seizing the opportunity to be part of the Coachella conversation and see the festival as a place to connect directly with young consumers, she said.

“Millennials love experiences, and Coachella is just one great, big party. It’s a huge experience for this audience to really get excited about,” Sugar said.