Hollywood Reporter: Factory 360's Michael Fernandez On Why Fashion Brands Bank on Coachella

Coachella appeals to fashion brands because it attracts more than a half a million people — 579,000 in 2014, according to Billboard Boxscore — as well as celebrities, whose paparazzi shots sell clothes. “Because it’s the first major event of its kind each year, Coachella sets the fashion stage for the other festivals that follow it,” says Michael Fernandez, founder and CEO of New York-based marketing agency Factory 360. A photo of style stars like Kate Bosworth or Miley Cyrus not only can land a brand some recognition on the pages of a glossy, but it also can legitimately move product off the shelves. H&M, for instance, reports that past looks worn by Coachella regulars Bosworth, Sophia Bush and Diane Kruger were brand boosters.

Right now, Coachella seems like the place to be for fashion brands. But Fernandez advises that companies with smaller budgets — or a little bit of foresight — entertain other options, as well. “At some point, it’ll reach a saturation point where it’s just incapable of setting trends anymore,” he says. “Every day there are new festivals that are being born. Ones that millennials can still afford.” After all, a ticket to Coachella starts at $375. That’s certainly more than an outfit at H&M.