A staged event…? The desert…?
I can start by saying that a simple outfit can become a symbol of social status. This is certainly the case at this festival, which has essentially turned into a marketing catwalk, a universe of social inequality. Although everyone is in the same physical space, the experience is deeply divided… Those who can afford to pay more gain access to privileged areas, comfort, visibility, and social connections, while others are relegated to a much more limited experience. The distance is measured in meters from the stage, separating those who live out the fantasy from those who finance the show.
Influencers as a digital product…
It must be made clear that, at the end of the day, an influencer is a product, and their compensation is their reach; their job is to help create that feeling of “I wish I had been there…” what’s known among young people on social media as FOMO. At the same time, it’s important to clarify that they live off privileges granted by their presence, while the average person pays inflated prices just to live the dream or, in other words, a lifestyle that isn’t their own.
The romanticization of sacrifice.
Would you pay $600 per ticket if I told you you’d have to endure sandstorms and extreme heat? You could say it’s part of the “I was there” narrative shared by the group as a whole.
Aesthetics in order or controlled aesthetics.
As I mentioned earlier, fashion has become a status symbol or, I would even go so far as to call it “political” (controlled, calculated, and performative) and although the festival is marketed as a space for freedom, individual expression, and creativity, what really prevails is an “aesthetic of control,” where everything seems carefully designed
to meet certain visual standards.
Aesthetic trends like the “clean look” sell you a highly staged bohemian freedom, where looking impeccable and perfect in the desert is a status symbol because only people with VIP passes and private transportation have access to it.
In this sense, aesthetics at Coachella function as a form of social discipline. People internalize what is “acceptable” or “desirable” and adjust their appearance to fit in or stand out within those parameters, and in this sense, the festival ceases to be a place of free expression and becomes one where the image is governed by invisible rules.
Speaking out through consumerism?
It’s important to note that there’s a lot of talk about women’s empowerment, but it’s measured by spending power and perfect outfits, which ends up being celebrated by brand conscious feminists for their individual success, while ignoring the working class that actually produces these very items (specifically the luxury clothing and brands that sponsor Coachella and promote these messages).
Constructed paradise?
I can conclude by saying that Coachella serves as a mirror of social and digital inequality. It relies on the working class to run the show but promotes itself through the digital elite. If we’re celebrating art… why does the price of admission determine how worthwhile our experience or stay was?
