Sartorial Spins With DJ Austin Millz
This feature is in our Summer '24 "Music" Issue. Click here to subscribe.
PHOTO BY RAFAEL DEPROST
In the midst of his second headlining tour and his Wynn Las Vegas residency, Harlem-born DJ and producer Austin Millz has a fit check with EDITION.
What are your closet essentials?
I’m at a point now where I tend to not even leave the house without wearing sunglasses. So that’s something that’s becoming a staple whether I’m on or offstage. Now it’s gotten to the point where it doesn’t have to be sunny, and I’m wearing sunglasses. And a nice pair of sneakers. That’s something to keep the confidence going. You’ve got to be fresh from top to bottom.
Austin Millz’s 2024 Wynn Nightlife residency includes gigs at XS Las Vegas and Encore Beach Club. PHOTO BY RAFAEL DEPROST
Did you have a certain look in mind for this Fresh Air tour?
I wanted vibrant colors and to stand out. I’ve always tried different color palettes. But right now I like wearing loud and free-flowing, comfortable clothes because it’s a lot of energy being exerted. So I like to feel good when I’m performing.
Austin Millz’s 2024 Wynn Nightlife residency includes gigs at XS Las Vegas and Encore Beach Club. PHOTO BY RAFAEL DEPROST
Do you have any favorite fashion brands or favorite stores?
Acne Studios are really good. There’s always something there that I can count on wearing. A.P.C. is cool for denim. And then a lot of thrift shops. So when I’m on tour, I go to different cities and find their vintage places. That’s pretty much my main source. I tend to find cool things in the Pacific Northwest. [The area] is really cool. So [cities like] Seattle and Vancouver.
Austin Millz’s 2024 Wynn Nightlife residency includes gigs at XS Las Vegas and Encore Beach Club. PHOTO BY RAFAEL DEPROST
What would you say is a fabric or texture that your music has? I feel like your music has a very warm element to it.
Just a very expensive, very silky piece. Just like being on a night out. The motion feels good. It makes you want to dance, it gives you joy.
How would you describe both your personal style and your DJing style?
Right now, in terms of fashion, I love trying out new things, taking risks and putting different pieces together. The clothes feel energetic. In terms of my live performances, I’m giving you 110% energy on the stage. It’s just loud, in your face and energetic.
PHOTO BY RAFAEL DEPROST
I interviewed Aluna last year, and she mentioned how she’s really trying to create a safe space for Black artists within the dance genre.
I feel like since 2020, there has been an uprising or just some type of call to action with the inclusion of people of color and people who actually started the genre. And Aluna is at the forefront of that. It’s a new energy, a new spark, and I love seeing my counterparts champion it because we started it: Chicago house, Detroit techno, New York house. A lot of people actually don’t know the inner workings of how house music was started. So I think the education [is important] and then having people that look like me on festival lineups, and showing that this is our genre, this is our music, this is our wheelhouse too. I love the inclusion, and I wish that there was more of it happening, more people speaking out about it. But you can take it day by day, step by step, and things will slowly change. So I’m only hoping for the best.
The DJ has previously collaborated with artists like Estelle, Duckwrth, Alina Baraz, Destin Conrad and Justine Skye. PHOTO BY RAFAEL DEPROST