COACHELLA 2018
I'm currently sitting on the couch, flanked by Frenchies with a huge smile stuck on my face. Despite all the exhaustion...congestion...the aches and the pains, I'm still here smiling. Why you ask? Because this year was the best time I've ever had at Coachella, which for those of you who don't know, it's essentially my Christmas morning. Although it WAS PACKED, seeming like there were more people than ever before, the weather was PERFECTION and the performances were perfectly on-time (cough cough except for Busta Rhymes who was more than 30 minutes late).
As always the grounds were decorated with incredible art installations, making for several perfect moments currently littered across the 'Gram. Every year the most magical moment is stepping out onto the grounds for the first time, looking for familiar landmarks, upgrades and fresh new art! This year, highlights for me started with the massive redesign of the Sahara Tent. It is now right next to the entrance and seemingly double the size of the original. The field had some of my favorite works to date, but two really stood out to me. First, I loved the giant spiraling tower encased with glass and lit with a melange of rainbow lights and aptly named SPECTRA (designed by creative disruptors: NEWSUBSTANCE). The second piece, ETHEREA (designed by mesh sculptor Edoardo Tresoldi), created the most vivid illusion of movement I have ever seen in stationary objects. It is series of wire mesh sculptures that appear fuzzy almost as if they were vibrating.
The biggest irony of Coachella is trying to find balance between fashion and function. As you can see from our looks, we love using scissors when styling for the festival. And while everyone wants to look fabulous, you don't want to be sweaty and more importantly you DO NOT want to overheat. Choose function over style at Coachella. You will be walking A LOT, always have a bandana on you for dust and keep at least one extra full bottle of water in your bag at all times.
DAY I • Erik • Sunglasses: Dom Vetro, Necklace: Clutch Jewelry, Shirt: Kenzo, Belt: Off-White,, Fanny Pack: Custom x @ItsBySam, Shorts: Zara, Shoes: Adidas (enlarge photo to view) ||
DAY I • Samuel • Sunglasses: Louis Vuitton, Bolo Tie: Chan Luu, Shirt: TeeInk, Bracelets: Cartier, Ring: Clutch, Bumbag: Louis Vuitton, Shorts: RVCA Shoes: Prada (enlarge photo to view) ||
DAY II • Erik • Bandana: CTM, Sunglasses: Pit Viper, Smaller Necklace: Clutch Jewelry, Second Necklace: Clutch Jewelry, Shirt: Tee Dune, Belt: Off-White, Bumbag: Louis Vuitton x SUPREME, Cutoffs: DSTLD, Shoes: KOIO x Samuel Anthony (shown on Samuel in photo below)||
DAY II • Samuel • Crown: Clutch Crowns, Sunglasses: Dom Vetro, Overalls: ASOS, Shirt: TeeInk, Bracelets: Cartier, Ring: Clutch, Backpack: Louis Vuitton, Shoes: Giuseppe Zanotti ||
DAY III • Erik • Sunglasses: Dom Vetro, Outfit: TeeInk (available summer 2018), Necklace: Clutch Jewelry, Backpack : Bally x Swizz Beats, Shoes: KOIO ||
DAY III • Samuel • Sunglasses: Dom Vetro, Outfit: TeeInk (available summer 2018), Necklace: Clutch Jewelry, Bumbag: Louis Vuitton x SUPREME, Shoes: KOIO x Samuel Anthony ||
Now to what's SUPPOSED to be the most important part...the music!!! I have posted shots (see above) from all of our favorite sets aside from Cardi B, Illenium and two glorious surprises in the DoLab: RL Grime and ZHU. If you like EDM/House/Techno (or whatever it's called today) make sure to follow DoLab on Instagram to get notifications announcing their daily special guests. If you have any windows in your schedule, go exploring! Follow the music and discover something new and incredible! That's exactly what we did for our first set on day #1. We ended up in the newly expanded Sahara Tent, where Justin Martin brought out the lead singer from The Goo Goo Dolls, John Rzeznik, right after we walked in. It was a perfect start to what would become an epic weekend.
A couple quick reminders/tips that will help steer your weekend towards a fairy tale, as opposed to an outtake from The Walking Dead.
Don't party and drive! UBER has made it easier than ever to get to and from the festival. There is a designated area for you to be picked up and dropped off from. Your driver will know where this is, and if you're leaving the festival, just follow the signs for the yellow path. If you aren't a fan of walking, you probably shouldn't be at Coachella, but regardless there are bike shuttles that can take your whole crew to the entrance from the dropoff...yes, they also run at night if you don't feel like walking back to the pickup area. If you want to utilize the "shuttles" bring cash and expect to pay about $10 per person depending on your party size.
If you want to see a headliner, get to the stage early to save a good spot. Be prepared to hold your ground and camp out for a bit.
Don't plan on using your phone, on Sunday my phone didn't work for the second half of the day. Avoid losing your group by making a meeting spot for everyone to go to if someone gets lost. It will happen, plan accordingly.
Bathrooms aren't always conveniently located, especially if you're in GA. Make sure to plan bathroom breaks into your schedule so you don't end up having to run off while Beyoncé is dropping it on the stage!
Stay hydrated!! I know it sounds super basic, but it is hot, dusty and you are walking/dancing all day for three days. Pick up more water or fill up your water bottles every chance you get. Having to run and get water is a crappy reason to miss a set.
Thank you to everyone who made this year so incredible. It was just perfect...even the weather! This year was the first time I ever got chilly at Coachella, and I'm not complaining, I loved it. It wasn't until we were leaving on Monday that Coachella, CA and the entire valley turned into a nasty sandstorm. I hope that the weather has gotten better and everyone heading out this weekend can enjoy the festival as much as we did. The performances, the art installations and the vibe were all off the charts. Remember people, be kind. Saying "excuse me," "please" and "thank you" can all lead to a much better experience for everyone. For those of you who are embarking on your adventure today...LIGHT IT UP!!!!! Have the best time, I know we did xx