AIJALON GANDIONCO

AIJALON GANDIONCO

Systems & Society

Bio

BFA AWARD: Sustainable Designer of the Year

Aijalon Gandionco is a Filipino-American designer from Jacksonville, Florida that focuses on sustainable materials through second-hand sourcing. They draw inspiration from their childhood memories, translating them through textile work and cinematography. Aijalon explores the past through tactile material, redesigning sourcing as a form of human connection. They believe that value can be reattributed to waste, and that sustainability in fashion relies on seeing the potential in ordinary things. Aijalon plans to continue to explore textile work through natural dyeing and fish skin leather tanning, and create systems in which second-hand sourcing is accessible and the standard.

InstagramDigital Portfolio and Website
Image: Photograph by Salem Dyroff
Models: Darcie Wu, Joey Bowser, Trinity Kopan, Zoe Barnes, Raina Khalid

BARKADA 64

BARKADA 64 is a 5 look collection that is centered around the repurposing of waste from both the fashion and fishing industry. It designs a system in which discards from a fishery in the designer’s hometown in Florida are then reused to create fish skin leather, hand-tanned on their Brooklyn apartment roof.

As the daughter of a fisherman, the designer, Aijalon, uses visceral memories of their childhood at the beach and time spent with their father to inspire the shape, colors, and philosophy of the collection. They look towards an idea instilled in their family at a young age: That everything can be used at least one more time. The collection creates conversation about how traditional handcraft and food waste can be seen as innovative and sustainable in a world full of wasted materials.
The accompanying fabrics are treated in the same philosophy, using only second-hand sourced textiles: Ripped, striped cotton bed sheets, seersucker from materials donations, vintage lace and scraps found in studios. They are then dyed with onion skins from friend's kitchens and local grocery stores, or indigo from a professor's old dye pot.

Striper, Mahi, and Halibut fish skin discards from the fishery, Southern Provisions (Florida), are tanned using egg yolk waste from their thesis professor's baking. The skins are laid to dry on Aijalon's roof in Brooklyn, stapled down to a wooden pallet that they found on the side of the road.


Image: Before designing, I think of the experiences and memories that I carry with me. I think of my connection to the ocean, and the countless times my dad and I went fishing together.
Image: Photograph by Salem Dyroff
Raina in a Striper, Mahi, and Halibut fish skin bodice and onion skin dyed balloon shorts.
Image: My process with fish skin tanning involved multiple steps: Defrosting the skins, defleshing the skins, descaling the skins, soaking them in my own tanning solution, then rinsing and pinning down to dry. After, I dye them with onion skin or indigo, softening them with coconut oil.
Image: Photograph by Salem Dyroff
Zoe in an indigo dyed wrap top with Striper fish skin detail and Trinity in a Striper fish skin jacket with Red Snapper scale sequins.
Image: Pinning the Striper and Mahi skins onto a wooden pallet after defrosting and descaling.
Image: Photographs by Salem Dyroff
Darcie in a Striper fish skin baby doll dress with indigo dyed linen
Joey in a wet-formed, indigo dyed Mahi skin bodice
Trinity in a Striper fish skin and Red Snapper scale jacket, paired with onion skin dyed pants.
Image: In order to form the fish skins to my pattern pieces, I went through steps to reoil, clean, and press flat the seams. I created free form paneling, and for the final look, I allowed the shape of the fish to be draped over the body.
Image: Photo by Salem Dyroff
Trinity in the cropped Striper fish skin jacket with Red Snapper scale details and Mahi panels.
Image: The Salmon Cycle: A dual cooking and fish skin tanning workshop

I decided to conduct a workshop to teach others how to make their own fish skin leather.

I partnered with my friend, Sam Schor, to host a dual workshop event. In the first half, Sam shows us how to make a simple but delicious dish: Miso Salmon. In the second half, I demonstrate how to use the skin from this recipe and create a new textile out of it.
Video: An extended version of my teaser for my collection, BARKADA 64. While researching for my thesis, I decided to start documenting my process, from the last time I visited home in the summer. The videos in the beginning are parts of what my life has looked like for the past several months, continually tanning fish skins, creating a place for reflection on what it means to bring new life through fish skin.

Direction, Styling, Videography, Editing by Aijalon Gandionco
Original music by Lucas Hususan
with Bass by Jaeden Leus
back vocals and lyrics by Aijalon Gandionco
and mixing by Sif Hefta
Modeling Barkada 64 is Joey Bowser, Zoe Barnes, Raina Khalid, Trinity Kopan, and Darcie Wu
Hair and Makeup by Zoey Pratt
Transportation and BTS footage thanks to Zach Ephron and Lucas Hususan
On set assist thanks to Wilson Jara
Hand sewing assist Joanna Pang
First interview sample from Dustin Mcintire
Second interview sample from Janey Chang
Third interview sample from my dad, Archie Gandionco

Thank You.

Thank you to Southern Provisions and Dustin for saving your fish skins for me, and giving them a new life.

Thank you to my friends that have supported me since freshman year, and have continually put up with my crazy ideas and photoshoots. You inspire me every day.

And thank you to my dad, who always brought my dreams to life, even if it involves cleaning fish skin in grandma's backyard for 4 hours.