Coachella 2026: Why I mourn the festival that existed before it became the 'Influencer Olympics'.
The Beauty Ed® Trend Report: How Zoi Lerma's look made me fall in love with festival fashion again.
The Beauty Ed®’s Note: At The Beauty Ed®, we’ve spent over two decades filtering the noise of the beauty and fashion industries to find the looks that are actually ‘real’ and ‘authentic’ rather than ‘brand-sponsored’ and ‘fake’. And as Coachella has recently turned into a type of ‘Influencers Olympics’, ie. a hyper-curated content machine where identity is often traded for engagement, we’re looking past the sponsored looks to find ones that truly inspire us and are an extension of the person that is wearing them. Here, The Beauty Ed® contributor Gia shares the one look that brought some true fashion soul back to the desert…
Why Zoi Lerma Always Feels Like the Real Coachella
As an avid Coachella watcher since the age of 12, I have always been completely infatuated with the celebrities attending this Californian music festival.
There was something about the effortless ease of it all that fascinated me; the sun-soaked glamour, the fashion, the sense that everyone looked incredible without appearing to try too hard.
I still mourn the Coachella that existed before it became the dreaded influencer Olympics.
The other night, I was aimlessly scrolling on TikTok when I stumbled across a clip set to an overwhelmingly nostalgic sound, layered over a compilation of images from the old Coachella, the version that existed before the hyper-curated brand trips, forced photo dumps, and identical influencer outfits took over.
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It reminded me exactly why I used to yearn for this festival when I was younger. Back then, it felt less like a content machine and more like a mood: people dressing for the sheer joy of it, chasing a feeling rather than a perfectly branded image.
That’s why, despite being firmly within the influencer sphere, Zoi Lerma still feels different to me. She is one of only a handful of creators who genuinely emulates that same old Coachella energy I used to look up to, rooted in fun, spontaneity, and pure vibe.
I first started watching Zoi when I was in my tweens, and she felt like such a breath of fresh air in an already saturated industry.
The One Coachella 2026 Look I Can’t Stop Thinking About
Zoi never disappoints with her Coachella outfits, and this year’s day-one look might be my favourite yet.
Wearing a custom GUVANCH set, she paired a coral-orange bralette with an extraordinary micro-feathered skirt in layered tones of fuchsia, teal, and burnt orange.
The movement alone was mesmerising.
Styled with a teal-studded belt, worn brown vintage boots, and a dramatic long pendant necklace that fell almost to the waist, the look captured exactly what festival dressing should be: playful, nostalgic, and unique.
Face Gems, Y2K Energy, and the Return of Festival Maximalism
The accessories made it even better. Silver bangles stacked up the arm, nostalgic face gems caught the light, and there was just enough Y2K energy to make it feel current.
I had an immediate flashback to buying crystal face stickers from Claire’s as a tween, and I’m honestly so excited to see that energy return to Coachella.
The Nails That Completed the Look
Created by celebrity nail artist 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐬𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐳, the set brought together teal, coral, and fuchsia tones with gem embellishment in a way that perfectly mirrored the outfit’s maximalism. It felt very Zara Larsson-coded in the best way: bold, glamorous, and glitzy.
Why This One Look Feels Like the Return of the Coachella I Loved
What I love most about this look is that it brought me back to the version of Coachella I first became obsessed with.
Before the festival became overrun with predictable influencer attire, it was about experimentation, excess, nostalgia, and genuine fashion moments.
This one look gave me that feeling again. And that’s exactly why I can’t stop thinking about it!