TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
Jazz didn’t just change music—it changed style.
From the Harlem Renaissance to modern runways, jazz artists have been fashion icons, influencing everything from streetwear to high fashion.
Think of Duke Ellington in sharp suits and silk scarves, or Miles Davis, who reinvented his look in every era—bebop cool, mod sharp, fusion funk.
In the 1920s, jazz clubs became catwalks of rebellion: flapper dresses, zoot suits, feathered hats—all dancing to the beat of freedom and expression.
And today? Designers still draw from jazz’s textures, rhythms, and bold individuality. From Billie Holiday’s gardenia to Kamasi Washington’s flowing robes, jazz is a language of sound and style.
Jazz taught us that how you play is important, but so is how you show up.
This has been Rapp on Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and SC Public Radio, made possible by The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.