For the past week, Barcelona, Spain has been the Instagram backdrop for everyone from Mimi Moocher to Devon Lee Carlson to Dua Lipa and Charli XCX, all of whom are in the city for Primavera Sound festival, which, for the first time since the pandemic, has been taking place in the city at its iconic waterside location. Headliners at the two-weekend event include Tame Impala, Megan Thee Stallion, Lorde, Tyler, the Creator and, for many, the most exciting name of the moment: Lipa herself.
Over the past few months, the 26-year-old pop star has been non-stop, travelling the world performing her long-awaited Future Nostalgia world tour – and songs off the pandemic-released album of the same name – live for the first time. But to headline Europe’s best festival on Thursday night, Lipa changed things up both in her set list and her style, stepping out of the Mugler bodysuit she’s been wearing on stage for the past 60+ shows and into something a little more festival-appropriate.
Kicking off with her hit ‘Physical’ to thousands who’d gathered at Primavera’s main stage to await her (we were lucky enough to watch from the CUPRA VIP area with ample views and room for choreographed dance moves at that), Lipa went full Y2K in a custom-made Blumarine look.
Featuring a purple sequined corset top overlaid with a purple cowlneck mini dress, also sequinned, and a matching tie around her neck, Lipa continued the colour theme with boots in the same shade and topped it off with a pair of purple square earrings.
Of course, it’s not a festival without glitter, which Lipa added in the inner corners of her eyes, alongside a wash of purple eyeshadow, finishing off the look with a huge cat-eye: The girlies of Euphoria High would be proud.
Lipa’s outfit was a welcome palette cleanser after the outfits coming out of Coachella in April, which were either so boho they became a meme or so low-key that it prompted many on TikTok to question whether the future of festival fashion was… looking like you didn’t try (or… want to be there at all).
Alongside the likes of Hailey Bieber in jeans and a tank top, Carlson was one person used as an example for the latter at Coachella, wearing a wife beater and baggy trousers and barely posting any content on the ‘gram throughout the festival. But thankfully, this weekend, she too is leaning into fun, festival fashion for Primavera Sound.
For day one, the Wildflower founder donned a zebra-print Realisation Par dress which she wore with knee-high lace-up boots and a flower necklace, later changing into a pale green mini dress and sneakers to enjoy the city with orange-lensed sunglasses, a mini Shrimps bag also in orange and blue dog-printed socks.
Regan, too, documented her bright and fun festival style, wearing a one-shoulder yellow mini dress with a pink Diesel belt, matching pink sunglasses and dance-appropriate sneakers.
Taking place over two weekends for the first time with events lined up in the days between both (including an insane show by Megan thee Stallion) and dance all-night stages such as the new addition of the CUPRA x Boiler Room stage where the likes of Kenny Beats and Tygapaw performed, Primavera has proven that festivals are still, very much relevant.
But, it seems, this is only the case when said festivals are more about the music and the vibe than they are about the Instagrams and content creation. Sorry, Coachella.
