About
Portland Fashion Synergy (PDXFS) is a non-profit organization that was founded in July 2009.PDXFS strives to establish Portland as a fashion capital with a unique design vision and attitude, which attracts and cultivates sophisticated, cutting edge designers.
PDXFS serves current and next generation apparel industry professionals through educational programs and events that create and expand business opportunities and support a thriving and sustainable apparel industry in Portland, Oregon.
Primary focus areas include: educating the public about fashion design and production, promoting the art of fashion by conducting annual fashion shows or benefit dinners to showcase up and coming designers, sponsoring internships and scholarships, industry-wide relationship building and collaboration, professional development and mentoring, and international student exchange programs.
Contact Info
For all inquiries, please email: info@pdxfashionsynergy.comBoard of Directors
May Tee, President and FounderMay is the owner and founder of MAYTEE, a women’s ready-to-wear designer brand based in Portland, Oregon. After receiving a computer science degree and working for 10 years as a software engineer in large, high tech companies such as Intel, May reconnected with her artistic passion and began expressing her creativity through fashion. She attended fashion design classes at the Art Institute of Portland and a semester abroad at Central Saint Martins in London, before moving to NYC to attend the prestigious Parsons School for Design. While in NYC, she worked for Miuccia Prada as a system analyst, observing their original use of fabric and innovative construction and then moved to Italy, where she interned with Missoni as well as freelance designers — experiences which gave her insight into how to develop and create a fashion line. Today, May draws on her experience as a software engineer to lead and manage interdisciplinary teams on large-projects. She possesses natural interpersonal and leadership skills and has built great relationships with industry professionals. She knows what it takes to run a successful fashion business, understands the finesse required to navigate the fashion industry, and is deeply committed to putting Portland fashion on the map.
Thomas DeSouza, Vice President
Thomas DeSouza is the founder and CEO of FashionPeddler.com, an "online trade show" that efficiently and effectively facilitates business connections and sales transactions between independent apparel designers and retail buyers. An entrepreneur at heart with a degree in Finance, Thomas learned by chance about how challenging it was for independent designers to bring their collections to market because of prohibitively high costs for trade shows, and he instantly saw a win-win business opportunity. Over the past 2.5 years, Thomas has been responsible for concept development, site programming, budgeting and forecasting, business development and growth, and executive management through the rapid growth start-up phase of FashionPeddler.com. For the past year, Thomas also has been very involved in the development and launch of PDXFS. Bringing significant experience in building strategic alliances in the fashion industry as well as a wealth of industry relationships, Thomas is dedicated to the advancement and growth of Portland's design industry, and to achieving international recognition for Portland as a major player on the world fashion stage.
Heather Shroyer, Secretary
Heather is a full-time apparel design student at Art Institute of Portland and an intern/assistant for MAYTEE. While in school, she has worked in a variety of retail sales and administrative positions, giving her valuable exposure to the apparel industry and general business operations. Heather brings strong organization and communication skills and a commitment to achieving excellence. Once her degree is completed in Spring 2010, Heather aspires to develop her own line.
Kenneth Doswell, Treasurer
Kenneth is the designer and founder of Betty Jean Couture and Doswell Manufacturing and Design House (DMDH) in Portland, Oregon. He grew up in the apparel industry in Pasadena, California, with his first job at the age of eight sweeping and cleaning the cutting rooms for several women’s and men’s clothing stores. Later, he and his father and brother opened Betty Jean Apparel, named after Kenneth’s mother. In college Kenneth received a degree in Business Administration followed by an MBA and then spent 14 years as a Sourcing Manager at Intel Corporation. He returned to his passion for fashion, starting Betty Jean Couture while still working at Intel. In May 2009 Kenneth decided to break from corporate America and work full-time in his fashion businesses. DMDH now has a fully dedicated staff that does pattern making and sample making, and it is the manufacturer for Betty Jean Couture, as well as an increasing number of Portland-based designers.
Christa Taylor, Director of Scholarships
Christa is a designer and entrepreneur with a specialty for creating innovative solutions in today’s market. Equipped with a passion for excellence, Christa is known for building businesses from the ground up, while shaping a dynamic brand identity and message. She is the designer and CEO of Christa Taylor, an online purveyor of women’s apparel that seeks to meet the needs of the chic but traditional customer. Christa also serves as vice president on the board of directors for TrueHeart Productions NW, a Portland-based, non-profit community theatre company committed to producing world-premier works; and she is an art teacher and tutor at DaVinci’s Art Academy, a private art school in Vancouver, WA, geared towards youth preparing for a future careers in the arts.
Jillian Rabe, Director of Event Planning
Jillian graduated with honors from Oregon State with a degree in Speech Communication and Psychology and has since pursued careers as a model and freelance producer/event planner in Portland’s fashion community, where she: plans events; produces print, film and runway; and scouts and books talent, location, catering and crew. Her clients include Nike and the Susan G. Komen Foundation, for which she has managed the floor of 1000+ people at the Survivor Luncheon for the past four years. Jillian also has worked in account management and production at Creative Media Development (CMD), where she gained skills in client and group management and implementing projects from the concept stage through to post/wrap. Recently, Jillian overcame significant language barriers and single-handedly executed an entire runway presentation of 50 pieces from 12 Portland designers at the Spring 2009 China Fashion week in Beijing [video available soon], laying the groundwork for one of PDXFS’s primary international business development initiatives.
Almarina Bianchi, Director of Memberships
Almarina serves as an Apparel and Retail Advisory Board Member of TANG (The Apparel Networking Group) - a group of senior executives from the apparel and footwear industries that is dedicated to providing business development solutions to emerging Portland brands. She brings an extensive background in manufacturing, retail and operational aspects of the apparel industry, including: apparel development and marketing; private label retail development, global sourcing and merchandising; and managing teams responsible for delivering systems and solutions to clients in the apparel and footwear industries.
Advisory Board
Kerry Yu, Director of International AffairsKerry is a jewelry designer and entrepreneur with an extensive background in modeling and model agency management in China, Canada and the U.S. In the late 1980s, Kerry was one of China’s first generation fashion models. After less than two years and more than150 fashion shows and TV commercials, Kerry moved to Canada to pursue her goal of higher education, while modeling with the Ottawa-based modeling agency “Access.” In 1992, she won three awards — runway, commercial and talent — and was one of 10 finalists (out of 500+ contestants) for “cover girl” in the Canadian National Modeling Competition. After graduating from college, Kerry moved to Spain and started her own modeling agency in Tarragona (near Barcelona), where she directed numerous fashion shows and appeared in the famous Spanish TV show “Farmacia de Guardia” as well as many TV commercials. From there, she was invited to Milan, Italy, as a runway model for the Italian brand Liola. In 1997, she returned to China and opened her own modeling agency and advertising company, directing runway shows for many international and Chinese brands. In 2004 Kerry launched her own jewelry line, O’Pearl Jewelry (now one of the sponsors for Miss Oregon, USA), and in 2007 she moved to Portland, Oregon (where her husband is from). Today, Kerry is committed to helping position Portland as one of the country’s leading centers of creativity, and is the key PDXFS liaison for business development initiatives in China.
Jasin Weiner, Designer Representative
Local designer and recent graduate from Art Institute of Portland.
Summer Jameson, Retail Representative
Manager and Women's Buyer of Mario's Portland
Candice Nowell, Financial Advisor
Controller, HERENOW Creative Network
No matter what industry she works in, Candice always makes the numbers add up. After working with the Portland Lumberjax in their inaugural season, she came to HERENOW and turned our chaos into structure with drive and dedication. Candice gets to the point and gets things done.
Kim Dawson, Strategic Marketing Advisor
Strategic Marketing Consultant
Mai Tran, PR and Media
Mai Tran is founder of /rouz/ mar•ket•ing, specializing in professional marketing, event and PR services and owner of CRAVE Portland, innovatively connecting small business owners with the customers they crave. She has an extensive background in business and event marketing for high-tech corporate, non-profit, professional athlete, and entertainment clients (including Adobe Systems, Microsoft, Symantec Corporation, Freddy Jones Foundation (NBA), Lorenzo Alexander ACES Foundation (NFL), Rose Haven, Cascadia Region Green Building Council, Portland Trail Blazers, Mike Scifres Foundation (NFL), John Legend, Carmelo Anthony (NBA), Diageo, The Roots, Nike, and Boost Mobile. Mai’s entrepreneurial spirit, determination for success and attention to detail, accompanied by her innovative and creative technique makes her a master when it comes to event planning, marketing, and public relations. She brings her passion for connecting local Portland boutiques, designers and small business owners with industry experts and tastemakers, while offering alternative ways to drive success and revenue.
Erik Ries, Branding and Creative Director
Creative Director, ETC Studios
Scott W. Davidson, Legal Advisor
Scott Davidson is a transactional attorney at Lane Powell with extensive experience in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, complex technology transfers and intellectual property matters for emerging growth and later-stage companies. He regularly advises clients on key issues including strategic alliances, venture financings and revenue generation. Scott also serves as counsel for a number of clients in the apparel, sports and entertainment industries.