2016 Was Style. 2026 Is Styling

Sun, Boho, and Justin Bieber : LA Dreams at Coachella 2026

"2016 Coachella icons Alessandra Ambrosio in the middle"

History of the festival: 

The foundations of the Coachella Music festival were established in the minds of music lovers who wished to bring the energy of European Music festivals to American land. The festival was inspired  by the iconic Glastonbury Festival in the UK , known for its lineup, camping experience and music history since 1970. The founders imagined a music festival where culture, art, fashion and music were celebrated in the California desert.  In spite of being called Coachella, the festival takes place close to Indio, both are part of the Coachella Valley, which is located in Southern California's Colorado Desert and is also home to cities like Palm Springs and Indian Wells. 

The California desert atmosphere also helps explain why celebrities were found in Coachella even before the festival was even held. Tourism in the Coachella Valley dates back to 1960 when the region's dry, sunny climate began to attract both farmers and celebrities. At the same time, grand hotels like Palm Springs' El Mirador began drawing high-profile visitors, Coachella became the place to play golf and tennis and where Hollywood stars were often photographed by the pools of the area’s luxurious hotels and under the desert sun. 

"Palm Springs, Coachella Valley boom of Hollywood stars"

A key moment came in 1993, when the band Pearl Jam performed at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, to protest high ticket fees. The success of that concert proved that a large-scale event could work in the California desert. Building on this idea, concert promoter Goldenvoice officially launched Coachella at the same location, the Empire Polo Club.

It wasn’t until October 1999 that the festival was first held with headliners including Beck and Rage Against the Machine and tickets costing $50 per day. After skipping the year 2000 due to financial losses, Coachella returned in 2001 as a one-day event and rebuilt its audience. By 2002, it expanded again to multiple days, and in 2007 it officially became a three-day festival. During that time Coachella started gaining international recognition for lining up hip-hop , indie and rock artists as well as holding iconic performances such as Daft punk in 2006.

"Coachella 1999" and indio during first editions.

Around 2012, Coachella had to expand the festival to two weekends due to increasing demand. A cultural phenomena was also developing,  the desert close to luxury destinations such as Palm Springs contributed to its exclusivity, celebrities, influencers, and fashion brands began attending in large numbers, turning the festival into a global stage for style and social media. Coachella became as much about lifestyle and image as it was about music.

Early style: 

The rise of celebrities, influencers, and 2016 fashion at the Coachella Music Festival marked a turning point in the festival’s identity. Starting in 2014, Coachella stopped being just a music event and became a globally recognized cultural phenomenon. Celebrities, influencers, models, and actresses such as Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Vanessa Hudgens began attending in large numbers, drawing the attention of millions of followers on social media who were eager to see their looks.

Coachella 2014-2016

Instagram played a crucial role in this transformation. Images by the pool, private parties, and snapshots from the festival grounds quickly went viral. Coachella had become less about the music itself and more about an aspirational lifestyle.

By 2016, what is now known as the “Coachella style” was firmly established: a mix of boho-chic fashion and light summer clothing, where shorts, crop tops, and flowing dresses dominated. Fringes, lace, natural fabrics, and eye-catching accessories such as flower crowns, oversized sunglasses, and cowboy boots became essential. This style aimed to reflect the desert atmosphere, blending warm tones and western-inspired elements with the iconic 2016 aesthetic: athleisure, denim, chokers, peace signs, palm trees, Lean On playing in the background, and Instagram’s signature warm-toned filters.

Coachella 2014-2016

2016 comeback: 

2016 called… and apparently 2026 answered.

Somewhere between the return of Zara Larsson on our feeds, Lush Life looping in the background, and influencers dressing like they just stepped out of a Tumblr mood board, it’s official: 2016 has staged a comeback. Skinny jeans are sneaking back into closets, bomber jackets are reclaiming the streets, chokers are back around our necks, and suddenly everyone wants  a Napoleon jacket.

The wildest part? 2016 doesn’t even feel that far away, yet here we are, treating it like a vintage era ready for revival. Fashion, as always, loves a plot twist, and this year’s biggest one is making us all relive the age of Instagram filters, statement brows, and “just got back from Coachella” energy.

"2016 revival"

I’m diving into ten trends from 2016 that are storming their way back into 2026 and honestly, some of them never should have left. Moccasin slippers are a must for a chic look, fringes are taking over jackets and pants, and the “Coachella boho look” is everywhere on Instagram, not just at music festivals but on the streets too. Fitted high-neck boots paired with a short dress or worn over skinny jeans make the perfect going-out outfit, while Valentino studs add that edgy rock-chic touch to the look. Ankle boots and skinny jeans are once again the unofficial uniform of models, and every brand seems to be releasing its own version of the Napoleon jacket, with bomber jackets close behind. The Gucci belt remains iconic, and the Loewe Puzzle bag is once again considered an investment piece.

Coachella 2026

The first weekend of Coachella was all about the artists: Justin Bieber harmonizing with his younger self and stepping back into the spotlight, Sabrina Carpenter delivering one of the weekend’s standout performances, and Karol G proving once again why she owns every stage she steps on. But as always, half the fun of Coachella happens offstage in the outfits.

This year, boho fashion clearly held center stage , confirming that the festival’s signature shows no signs of fading. Stars like Teyana Taylor and Anya Taylor-Joy showed that the style is not going anywhere, wearing modern takes on the  “boho-chic look”. According to Vogue, “Coachella 2026 has seen a sophisticated revival of boho dressing, with fringe, macramé, leather, lace, cowboy boots, and flowing silhouettes reappearing everywhere, but in a more polished, elevated way.”

Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G

What makes this year especially interesting is how strongly it echoes 2016. Back then, Coachella was peak flower crowns, denim cutoffs, chokers, oversized sunglasses, and carefree “Instagram desert girl” energy. In 2026, that same DNA is back but grown up. The flower crowns have become designer headscarves, denim shorts are paired with luxury boots, and fringed tops now come styled with vintage handbags. Even Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner embraced opposite versions of the trend: Kendall in a minimalist  white set of shorts and top with boots, Kylie in vintage fringe and statement accessories. 

Coachella outfits 2026

If 2016 Coachella was about style, music, and fun, 2026 Coachella is about styling the “style” itself and aiming to be the “best dressed,” as if the festival was a runway show. The same boho spirit remains, just sharper, richer,  more refined and all over social media.

Given this shift toward a hyper-curated environment, should brands continue to invite a massive wave of influencers who primarily attend to showcase outfits and generate content, or should the focus return to preserving the spontaneous magic and authentic atmosphere of the festival’s original, unfiltered looks? Where exactly is the line between dressing and wearing a costume?

By Olivia Domínguez :)