Charli XCX’s Coachella Wardrobe Was All About “Toughness”

April 26, 2023

As one of pop music’s hottest acts, Charli XCX marked her first solo set at Coachella this year—something that’s always been on the singer’s bucket list. “I’ve only ever been a guest of another artist, so this felt special,” Charli tells Vogue. “It felt like it was about time that I did my own show there!” Over the annual music festival’s two weekends, the star performed her setlist of dance hits. On weekend one, she even brought out fellow singer and friend Troye Sivan, for a performance of their “1999” collaboration. “We always have good chemistry, but I kind of felt like I was trying to flirt with him this time on stage at Coachella,” jokes Charli. “Which is kind of a non-starter, because I’m not his type, you know?”

The superstar admits that she was “really nervous” for her weekend one set. “I don’t normally experience crushing nerves before a performance too much anymore, but on the morning of the first Saturday, I woke up with knots in my stomach,” she says. That healthy dose of pressure was welcome. “That was nice actually—to feel scared and excited, and like something was at stake. I enjoyed the rush.” By weekend two, however, Charli says that she quickly got over any and all stage jitters, and brought it. “I was so much more relaxed, which was an entirely different experience,” says Charli. “I felt more comfortable—and the crowd felt more wild.”

Of course, Charli had to bring fresh fashions to the Coachella main stage. She had a specific style vision in mind. “I wanted toughness for both weekends,” says Charli. “Clothing is armor in some ways, and I wanted additional strength. Both weekends, the looks still had a sexiness to them, but in a way that felt intrinsically me—a little more bold and gritty and raw. Where we landed felt perfect.” Stylist Chris Horan adds that making sure the looks would be functional and practical was also important. “She has been doing so much choreography, so it’s fun to come up with looks that will help highlight that,” he says. “She looks hot in everything though, to be honest.”

Photo: Terry O’Connor

For weekend one, the pair landed on Marni’s hooded bomber jacket and leather bodysuit complete with metal piercings, chains, and rhinestones. The singer finished off the look with embellished over-the-knee boots—a favorite of the duo’s. “Charli and I both were obsessed with the boots they made,” says Horan. “The scrunched texture and shape was so sick, and exactly what we had imagined.” Of the outfit-making boots, Charli adds, “I never wanted to take them off—although I had to, because I was boiling.”

For weekend two, they switched up the vibe and went for deconstructed suiting by Valentino. “When we started playing with the possibility of suits, I just immediately thought of pop-punk, and how funny it would be if I did a very on-the -nose take on that,” says the singer. “But of course, I still made it very Charli.” To do that, she wore a sequined bra top underneath a classic messy button-up and tie. “The Valentino looks had such a cool sense of ease to them,” says Horan. “I loved the sequin texture of pants. It felt like the perfect send off to the ‘Crash’ era by experimenting with something new.”

Photo: Terry O’Connor

Charli’s last album, Crash, was all about playing up Charli’s identity as a pop star—meaning, there was loads of sexiness, leather, and skin-revealing silhouettes. Her Coachella attire embodied that to a dramatic degree, and Charli says she’s now ready for a brand new fashion era. What will that look like? Charli gives a hint to her fans: “Follow @360_brat, and maybe you’ll get fed some clues.”

Below, a closer look at Charli’s Coachella experience.