interview+photography by Jorge Perezchica
Austin Galindo aka “Lunar Jewelz” is a desert dweller, jewelry maker, fashion designer and festival workshop educator. In person, Austin arrives dressed in colorful wardrobe that ranges the spectrum from street style to bohemian and from tie-dye t-shirts to DIY festival attire. For Austin, going to festivals is more than just an obsession — it’s a lifestyle. His aesthetic is all about layering and accessorizing. Long scarfs slope around his neck adding emphasis to his broad shoulders. Handmade chunky jewelry bedazzled with gemstones or bone work adorns his neckline. Austin’s eyes hide behind purple shades while his face is covered in a scruffy beard. An array of ornamental rings is worn on each hand. Austin’s overall look resonates an aura of galactic glitz and cosmic rainbows. Welcome to the world of Lunar Jewelz.
Austin’s creativity was sparked at a young age through art and painting. At 15 years old, his love for gemstones and minerals led to jewelry design. What first stated as a hobby, soon became a small business. Austin began accepting donations from friends and schoolmates in exchange for handmade jewelry. Latter, Austin took his business across the valley popping up at events, parties, and nightclubs. By 2017, Austin’s hard work was paying off. As his work gained recognition, he was invited to lead jewelry workshops in the campgrounds of major festivals such as Desert Trip and Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
In 2018 Austin presented his first official runway show at Pop Art gallery in Palm Springs (Read more here). Austin’s fashion and jewelry design were in full swing until the COVID pandemic took its toll in 2020. Austin pivoted his focus to spend time developing a new brand of fashion aesthetic known as “Haute Aura Emporia” set to debut on April 7, 2023. The date in mind was set in advance but locating a venue proved to be a mission in itself. At one point, Austin was losing hope and considered giving up. Fortunately Emerald Springs Dispensary came through and singed on as a sponsor offering its outdoor parking space as a venue — located across the Palm Springs Airport. I stopped by one afternoon in March to scope out the space. As we stood outside discussing logistics a jumbo size airliner suddenly roars overhead — the thundering sound sends vibrations coursing through by body from head to toe and I’m completely shook. We just have a quick laugh about it, but inside my head, I’m thinking: “This is gonna be one wild ride.” At least Austin stays true to his irreverent and DIY style.
A week later, we meet up again at Palm Springs Grip and Lighting to work on a fashion photo shoot for this story and help get the word out. This is the first time I got a glimpse at his new collection “Aura Emporia” worn by Michaela and Dani, two local models. It was fun working together as he directs the shoot in the background.
Afterwards we reconnected once more for an interview via email to talk more about his vision and creative process going into Aura Emporia. Read on for the Coachella Magazine interview.
Coachella Magazine: Hi Austin, how’s it going?
Lunar Jewelz: Hello I’m doing great, thank you!
CM: As an artist, you grew up in Coachella Valley. How has the desert community inspired your creative point of view?
LJ: Yes born and raised. The desert has been an ongoing source of inspiration for me it’s such a rich and lush and also harsh and extreme landscape — It’s truly a remarkable place and I’m honored to be from here representing such a magical place.
CM: The last time we sat down for an interview was in 2018 following your first runway show at Art Pop gallery in Palm Springs. What have you been working on since then to prepare to for your follow up show? It’s been a 5 year gap — fill us in.
LJ: Wow, yes. Some time has past since our first interview. Well, aside from the hustle and bustle of working a 9-5 job in the cannabis industry, leading workshops at Coachella fest and vibing it out at festivals and raves — I have been expanding my design aesthetic and working with sustainable up-cycled fabrics and found objects to create a new paradigm in my design, which is my new brand “Haute Aura Couture.”
CM: Your first show emphasized hand-made jewelry utilizing gem stones and bones and thrifted vintage clothing. What can audiences expect at “Aura Emporia” your second runway show on April 7th?
LJ: I want the audience to expect themselves to find a fabulous event that is celebrating them and the magic of beauty and individuality that we each have. Aura Emporia is a celebration of Inclusivity, fashion, beauty and the arts. The debut of my fashion line with a runway show of 20 local and international models that are going to slay the runway is definitely something you don’t wanna miss!
CM: What was your creative process going into “Aura Emporia” SS23 collection?
LJ: I dived deep into my creative realms and the root of my inspiration of creating the Haute Aura Couture fashion line is my Grand Mother, Magdalena Cebreros — she was the greatest! She was a seamstress dress maker as well as a master in the kitchen! She would design all of my cousins dresses for their first communions and would sew up my skinny jeans and helped alter clothing for everyone all of my life.
Having her as the inspiration to start designing from hand sewing to individual attached application techniques and of course learning how to create patterns and fusing on the machine has been fueling me to start with this change from the jewelry but it feels great to start something fresh and challenging.
CM: You spent quite some time looking for a venue and almost gave up but you hanged in there and found a home at Emerald Springs Dispensary. Tell us more about the sponsored venue?
LJ: Yes it was a mission to say the least. Thankfully Travis from Emerald Springs was totally down to sponsor the show! He’s actually my boss and the owner of the dispensary. Great people and an awesome establishment we have a friendly and knowledgeable staff and offer a variety of exclusive products and have massive discounts on most of our inventory.
CM: Aside from the runway fashion show there will be DJ’s, live music and pop-ups. What are the details you can share with us?
LJ: Oh Yes, it’s going to be major. We are getting the vibes right with sounds by 8@88¥_8088¥, Huevito, 133:am, Aaron Ravioli , Meta and some very special surprise guests! The curation of the djs are a collaborative effort with my awesome partner Micah Brubaker, our good friends from Backdoor, they are a queer collective of drag performers and djs that are THE vibe!
CM: After your show on April 7th you will be at Coachella Art Studios again crafting at the Coachella camp grounds. How many years has it been now and what are you looking forward to this year at the festival?
LJ: Yes most definitely. I will be leading the jewelry workshop provided by the Coachella Art Studios, shout out to Sara and Alex my fairy art god mothers! Very excited for this year! It’s been, I think six years. I’m not sure, time is so crazy haha. The most I’m looking forward to is to be free on the fields playing and frolicing to the music. Oh yeah and BJORK!
CM: How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
LJ: I would say that I am Magical, Eclectic and Creative.
CM: Anything else you’d like to mention?
LJ: Stay true to what you love and believe in and focus on what feels good and the things that fuel you. It’s what life is all about and makes it worth loving and living for.
WHEN: April 7, 2023
TIME: 4pm-10pm
RUNWAY: 6pm
WHERE: 560 Williams Rd, Palm Springs, CA 9226