Revolve Festival is one of the most visible events at Coachella.
On the surface, this weekend’s festival paraded all the attending influencers in trendy outfits and picture-perfect scenery. However, complaints quickly emerged about lack of water and transportation that left partygoers dehydrated and exhausted.
Revolve is an e-commerce brand that has exploded in popularity because of its trendy selections and fast shipping. Aspiring influencers paid up to $2,000 to attend the event, with celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Timothée Chalamet, and Kendall Jenner in attendance.
Revolve’s event is now being compared to Fyre Festival, the infamous 2017 music festival that descended into chaos because of poor planning, sparse food options, and inadequate lodging and medical staff.
Revolve did not immediately respond to Fortune‘s request for comment.
Dehydrated and dizzy
People who attended the event posted allegations on social media that they were left stranded in the parking lot for hours, waiting for transport out of the hot California desert.
Due to the scarcity of water, some ticket holders said they were dehydrated and dizzy. Some allegedly fainted in the conditions.
Photographer and artist Madison Crowley shared footage of the crowds awaiting the buses. Some of the comments on her TikTok video include “Influencer Hunger Games!” and “I’ve never been happier to not be somewhere.”
Hannah Kosh, an influencer with nearly a million followers on TikTok, confirmed all of these allegations on her account and said, “These tweets just sum it up and it’s perfect.”
Some influencers who were there didn’t even make it to the festival.
Averie Bishop shared her story on TikTok, saying that the only way to get to the festival was to take Revolve shuttles. However, those didn’t come too often. “The logistics of getting to the festival…out of [control],” she said.
What is the Revolve Festival?
While this event isn’t affiliated with Coachella, it is held annually the week before the famous music festival. The Revolve Festival has its own performances, and ample opportunities for influencers to capture the perfect photo.
Usually, Revolve extends invitations to the festivals to big influencers, but this year, it extended last-minute invitations to microinfluencers.
Some invitees had to pay from their own pocket, according to Maria Caballero, who posted a screenshot of the email she received being asked to pay $2,000.
What now?
According to Raissa Gerona, chief brand officer of Revolve Group, the goal of the festival is to bring people together for some fun.
“The essence of Revolve Festival this year remains the same: It’s a celebration of life and living it to its fullest where we always marry the things we are most known for—fashion, lifestyle, music, and, most importantly, fun,” Gerona told WWD.
Will next year’s event be better? Only time will tell.
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