First of All, What is Coachella?
Hardcore music fans who are in the know, do whatever they can to make it to Coachella each year. The star-studded festival showcases a host of A-list musical acts as well as a variety of new acts on indie record labels. Officially named the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival , it happens each year on two weekends in April in the Orange County town of Indio, California.
Despite its current status as THE music festival to “see and be seen” if you’re a true music afficiado or aspiring star, Coachella started out with humble beginnings. Co-founders Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen saw the potential for putting on a large music event at an independently controlled venue after seeing Pearl Jam put on a successful show at the Empire Polo Club in 1993.
Coachella, as it exists today, started back in 1999 with popular bands of the time Rage Against the Machine, Beck, and Tool as headliners. Although ticket prices back then were only $50, getting into the festival today will set you back $400 for general admission and twice that for VIP.
But Rihanna, Though
So, back to Rihanna. Ostensibly, as mentioned, Coachella is mainly a high-profile music festival, but many people attend for the atmosphere and the star-gazing as much as the music. And star-gaze they did last weekend. Literally. Rihanna made it impossible not to see stars with her jaw-dropping success of an outfit. Many photos have already circulated of her body-hugging glittery-ness, but the topper was her glittery face mask which allowed her to make an entrance incognito. Check it out below:
Runway to Rihanna… pic.twitter.com/vFxSoJaN9H
— Julie Zerbo (@ZerboJulie) April 17, 2017
Where Did She Get the Idea?
The shining outfit that RiRi wore first got its debut on the runway as part of Gucci’s Fall 2017 collection . It was designed by Alessandro Michele, and it consisted of the aforementioned bodysuit, worn underneath cutoff shorts and a loose off-the-shoulder Gucci tank top. The outfit was certainly hip on the runway, but Rihanna took it to a whole other level. To top off the look, she and her stylist, Jaheel Weaver, added sparkly sunglasses and Fenty platform sneaker boots. The look was definitely meant to grab attention, as Rihanna noted herself in an Instagram post during the festival.
” I can’t go home yet, cuz enough people ain’t seen my outfit “
A post shared by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on
Who She Was With
Rihanna always proves that doesn’t need an entourage to draw attention. Photos captured during the festival show her gliding through the crowd just having a good time and cheering her support for such acts as Lady Gaga. Twitter , as expected, took note with one user noting the following.
“I don’t know how Rihanna does it, but she always takes it next level.”
What Other Stars Wore (Like Anyone Noticed)
Honestly, Rihanna seriously stole the show at this year’s Coachella. Music festivals tend to bring out the casual vibe in attendees, since the main focus is typically on the music, dancing and getting sweaty. And with Rihanna shining like a diamond, it mostly dimmed the glow around whatever the other high-profile attendees were wearing. One writer for Cosmopolitan magazine , who thinks everyone needs to “bow down” to Rihanna, wants us to know that she wishes “ everything could be Rihanna.”
Overall Verdict
Outrageous outfits are certainly nothing new when it comes to celebrities, especially ones who have a reputation for grabbing headlines and turning heads. But with the Twitter frenzy, Rihanna’s happy dance , and the generally ecstatic headlines from numerous online outlets and on social media, I think it’s safe to declare that Rihanna’s shiny outfit was a major fashion win, even for Hollywood standards.
[Featured Image by Christopher Polk/Getty Images]