Rogador, Aaron Jay

Rogador, Aaron Jay
@_ako_si_bitoy_

This collection is a fusion of my passion for biology and my love for retro fashion. Since childhood, I’ve been captivated by nature’s delicate balance of order and chaos, especially within the microscopic world. Drawing inspiration from the intricate, symmetrical patterns of cells, I’ve translated these into bold visuals using shibori textile dyeing techniques. Centered around five animal classes—mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and fish—each piece features close-up and microscopic imagery as the foundation for distinct patterns, with every fabric manipulation showcasing the raw, organic beauty of biology. Balancing this scientific influence is my admiration for mid-century fashion—its bold silhouettes, vibrant colors, and unmistakable charm. The playful, campy nature of the retro aesthetic offers a rich canvas for this collection, blending vintage flair with scientific curiosity to create wearable art.

Aaron Rogador, the creative force behind Retro Specs, hails from the outskirts of Pasig City and was raised with an insatiable curiosity. Fascinated by the natural world, he saw biology as a way to explore life’s intricacies, finding beauty in both its order and chaos. At just four years old, he dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. Later, during a summer at his grandparents’ house, he discovered a treasure trove of tchotchkes that sparked a deep appreciation for the timeless charm of the mid-century era—from its architecture to its fashion. Now stepping into the fashion industry, Aaron merges his lifelong love for biology and vintage aesthetics, crafting a collection that serves as a heartfelt love letter to his younger self, where all his childhood fascinations come to life.

The most challenging part of designing this collection was translating microscopic imagery into cohesive retro silhouettes while integrating distinct dyeing techniques, which pushed me to find the true essence of each look and expand from there. Despite being the most labor-intensive stage, dyeing became my favorite part of the process because each unraveled piece was unpredictable and rewarding, reinforcing the uniqueness of every garment. If I were to redo one stage, I would explore a wider range of textiles, as limiting myself to familiar fabrics restricted potential experimentation and manipulation. Look 5, Pisces, underwent the most transformations, driven by the difficulty of merging gill-inspired microscopic imagery with a 1960s silhouette, but through persistent revisions and mentor feedback, it evolved into one of my strongest and most unexpected favorites. Overall, the collection clarified my identity as a designer—someone energized by bold color, biology, and retro aesthetics—while teaching me to balance a strong personal vision with objective critique and technical growth, particularly in mastering the dyeing process.