The Art of Dressing the Stage with Jozzan

By Mia Blacksmith 

When Fabric Finds Its Rhythm

Fashion meets rebellion and fabric becomes rhythm when music steps into the spotlight. Behind the unforgettable image of every rock star there is a creator shaping not only how artists look but how they feel when they perform.

Young N’ Loud Magazine sat down with Jozzan, a visionary designer who has transformed stagewear into a living form of artistic expression. Her work redefines how musicians embody their sound, creating bold exclusive costumes that merge visual storytelling with raw emotion. This is a conversation about passion, artistry and the fearless intersection of music and style.

The Beginning of the Vision

Every artist begins with a spark and for Jozzan that spark came from a deep love of music and a desire to wear her art.

“My initial idea wasn’t to create clothing for musicians,” she explains. “It was a way for me to wear my art while paying tribute to my favorite bands. When my costumes began spreading across social media a few artists reached out to me about stage outfits.”

The defining moment came when she was asked to design a stage costume for Alissa White-Gluz, the powerhouse vocalist of Arch Enemy. That request shifted everything. “That’s when it struck me that my art belonged on stage,” she recalls.

Her creative identity was shaped by a fusion of rebellion, fandom and craft. What started as a Halloween costume inspired by Alissa White-Gluz in 2019 evolved into something far greater. “Creating that costume was so much fun that I wanted to make another one,” she says. “That’s when I decided to create a costume inspired by my favorite band Meshuggah. It became a way to express admiration through fabric and paint.”

Music has always been central to her design process. She describes her work as a visual echo of the songs that move her. “I get a feeling from a specific song or an entire band and then I want to create something that captures that feeling. I weave the band’s history into what I make details from lyrics, album covers or symbols that only fans might recognize.”

The Art Behind the Outfit

When a musician approaches Jozzan the process is both personal and collaborative. “It starts by listening to the artist, both to their music and what they want to express,” she explains. “I always sketch ideas before painting on the garment so we can both visualize and adjust. That ensures we’re completely aligned before I begin the physical creation.”

For her the balance between art and practicality defines her craft. “My designs are both art and performance tools,” she says. “The imagery, symbols and lyrics must work from every pose and angle on stage. The garment must enhance the artist visually and physically. Even though it’s art, it’s also a tool, something that amplifies the music, the feeling and the artist’s presence.”

One of her most meaningful creations remains the Meshuggah suit, a hand-painted full bodysuit depicting every album cover and lyric from the band’s history. “It was my tribute to them,” she says. “I immersed myself in their world for two years. It became a way to channel my fascination and love into something tangible.”

While her work is undeniably emotional, she insists on precision and intention. “The visual impact matters deeply. I spend more time on design and planning than on the physical creation. It’s about ensuring that each piece is visually powerful while still flattering the artist.”

Behind the Scenes of Rock Style

Working with musicians brings both excitement and challenge. Stage costumes are expected to endure sweat, movement and chaos all while maintaining their artistry. Jozzan has learned to merge beauty and resilience through experimentation.

“After trying different materials, I found that Lycra and Spandex are the most durable for bodysuits,” she explains. “But finding the right paint was nearly impossible. None were opaque enough or could handle performance conditions. So I spent an entire summer researching and creating my own paint formula. I never compromise between expression and functionality.”

That commitment reflects her approach to creativity itself. She doesn’t chase trends or cater to passing aesthetics. “I design to express my love for music,” she says. “The most important thing is authenticity. The bodysuit gives me the largest canvas to paint on, a canvas that moves with the artist, just like sound does.”

Sound Meets Style

For Jozzan, fashion and music are inseparable forces. “The relationship between music and fashion is very individual,” she notes. “For some artists, it’s an extension of their identity. For others, it’s secondary. But when it works, it elevates everything.”

She believes what artists wear can transform their performance, emotionally as much as visually. “It definitely can,” she says without hesitation. “A strong visual identity can enhance the entire experience. It doesn’t replace the music, but it strengthens the connection between artist and audience.”

When asked what she hopes fans feel when they see one of her designs, she smiles. “I hope it makes them want to look closer. The most rewarding thing is when fans notice the little details, album covers and lyrics that I’ve thoughtfully placed.”

Legacy, Impact and the Future of Stage Design

Originality, for Jozzan, is not about innovation for its own sake, it’s about truth. “I don’t follow trends,” she says firmly. “My challenge is to capture a band’s history and translate it into something that’s both flattering and meaningful. It’s time-consuming, but that’s what makes it worth it.”

She hopes her legacy bridges the worlds of fashion and music. “Each piece tells a story,” she says. “When I paint album covers and lyrics onto fabric, I’m capturing a band’s journey in color and texture instead of words and sound. I want these costumes to live on as artworks, to inspire long after the performance ends.”

As for dream collaborations, she’s already achieved one of them. “Creating a suit for Alissa White-Gluz was the ultimate collaboration. Her stagewear inspired me to start making my own costumes, so designing for her felt like coming full circle.”

Still, she’s far from finished. “I’d love to create something for Skynd, something dark and conceptual around true crime, or for Tatiana Shmayluk from Jinjer. I’ve even started sketching a top inspired by their song ‘Wallflower.’”

When asked what advice she would give young designers hoping to merge art and music, her message is simple: “Keep trying and never give up. Wear your creations, show them to the world, and be authentic. That’s when it truly connects.”

And finally, when she’s asked what “style that sounds” means to her, she answers with quiet conviction: “It’s when fashion and music are so intertwined that one instantly evokes the other.”

Epilogue: Where Sound Becomes Visible

Every thread, every brushstroke, every silhouette becomes part of a greater composition, a symphony woven in fabric. Through designers like Jozzan, music finds form beyond sound. It becomes something we can see, touch, and feel.

At Young N’ Loud Magazine, we celebrate these unseen creators, the visionaries who turn noise into narrative, rhythm into visual poetry, and performance into something eternal.

Because in the end, true style doesn’t just look good. It sounds alive.

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