Lady Gaga’s Coachella show was an ode to McQueen's magical mayhem

Our last impression of Coachella is sure to be a good one because our first was laid by none other than Lady Gaga on day one of the annual music festival. Festival goers were blessed by the pop star's magical mayhem, propped from her latest album, Mayhem held at the Coachella Valley. This was Gaga's second time headlining the music festival where she performed new jam singles like Abracadabra, Disease and Die With A Smile and fan favourites like Poker Face, Judas, Paparazzi, and Born This Way.

Lady Gaga's outstanding looks were unsurprisingly Alexander McQueen, as a tribute to the late designer. She wore ensembles from the designer's multiple collections over the years that embodied the show's storyline: the duality between light and dark. But more than just the late designer's looks, the show included depictions of his equally theatrical (and iconic) runway shows of the past. 

Her performance for the show began with her hit single, Poker Face, where Lady Gaga in a black mini dress with boots, used a giant three-dimensional chessboard setup to create a dramatic dance battle with the help of her background dancers. It was a clear nod to McQueen's spring collection, "It's Only a Game" previewed in Paris Fashion Week in a similar set where models were positioned as chess pieces. The dance battle was a portrayal of her battle between her present and old self, where the old self is also seen in an Alexander McQueen number or a remake of the original. The queen's spiked headgear and the dancers' claw hands' dance moves indicate the genius referencing of Lady Gaga's trajectory over the years, most notably referencing the Bad Romance music video. 

Lady Gaga made another reference to McQueen soon after in the show during the performance of her single, Paparazzi. She wore an ethereal white ensemble with flowing white fabric extending from her arms creating a wing-like effect that resembled a moment from the late designer's fall 2003 "Scanners" show. Another Easter egg from this performance is the metallic breast-plate she layered over the outfit indicating a clear nod to the original Paparazzi outfit. 

Whether you're a fashion enthusiast or simply one of Gaga's "Little Monsters," you'd know that the pop star is a long-time fan of the late designer. Unsurprisingly, she has been spotted wearing several iconic Alexander McQueen pieces over the years, from music videos to red carpet galas. The Bad Romance music video, the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards and the A Star is Born movie premiere in 2018 are some of the instances where she has worn McQueen's masterpieces to their best capacity. 

There were many Easter eggs from her past music videos that were too fab to be ignored during the show. The Perfect Celebrity performance in a sandpit with a skeleton was a cue presumably to the Bad Romance music video, where you can also spot her casually McQueen heels dressed with a bralette by the way. Another is her "Savannah" boots working overtime from her Rain On Me music video days. She wore them to the 2010 Monster Ball, out and about on the streets at Coachella 2017 and once again in 2025. Gaga clearly has a favourite. 

The Lady Gaga-McQueen relationship is one for the books. If there's one way to epitomise McQueen's legacy through their work and personal style, Lady Gaga surely knows a way to do it. A fitting tribute and nothing else.