Portus Raymond has over 20 years of experience in fashion design and print/fabric management. He currently works as a Senior Design and Print Manager at Express Design Studio, where he helps marry prints to fabrics and manages the approval process. Previously, he held design roles at several major fashion companies, including Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Ann Taylor, and Gap Inc., where he led teams and oversaw line development. He also has experience freelancing and teaching design courses as a critic.

1. Portus Raymond
Portaray LLC
80 E 116th
St Suite# 505
New York, NY 10029
cell. 917 698 4381
e-mail: rayport77@gmail.com.com
Professional Experience:
. Express Design Studio (2008 – present)
Sr. Design / Print Manager (Fabric Research and Development) (2015 – present)
Design / Print Manager (Fabric Research and Development) (2008 – 2015)
- Worked in tandem with design and merchants, marrying print to fabrication and managing the subsequent
process of print color/esthetic comments/approvals.
- Collaborated with design to marry seasonal print/silhouette based on artwork limitation based on artwork
limitation outline gathered from our respective printers
- Worked to create a process that helped to stream-line the flow of information between overseas offices /vendors
and the design & pre-production teams in the Express NY office - collaborating with cross functional
partners in the Columbus headquarters – merchant, production & quality assurance teams.
- Processed data for prints and fabric development in WebPDM to better facilitate a stream-line flow of info to
cross-functional partners company wide.
- Worked with fabric managers for both Men’s and Women’s departments with follow-up of fabric information
from concept meeting thru development and sampling processes.
- Worked with overseas offices to counter-source core print substrates in order to maximize the screen
development with specific print vendors and mills
.
Forth & Towne (Gap Inc) (2004 – 2006)
Design Director (Women’s Design – Knits & Woven)
- Conceptual line development and presentation for the new brand of Gap Inc from inception.
- Fabric / model / print research / development for multi concepts per season
- Shopping / researching competitors’ lines in the European, Asian and domestic markets
- Redefining / refocusing product direction; based on customer base, consumer trends and needs
- Supervise, inspire and empower associate and assistant designers of design team to further their abilities and
communication skills with cross-functional teams.
-
Ralph Lauren Inc (1999 – 2004)
Senior Designer Polo Sportswear Blue Label (1999 – 2004) (Men’s Design - Knit)
Senior Designer Polo Sport Blue Label (2001 – 2003) (Men’s Design - Knit)
Senior Designer Purple Label (2003) (Men’s Design - Knit)
Senior Designer Polo Collection Black Label (2003) (Men’s Design - Knit)
Seasonal conceptual line design and development:
- Fabric / model / print research / development for multi concepts per season (overseas and domestic)
- Shopping / researching competitors’ lines in the European, Asian and domestic markets
- Redefining / refocusing product direction; based on customer base, consumer trends and needs
- Lead an in house team of illustrators and graphic designers to prep in house presentation to Ralph Lauren, Jerry
Lauren, Merchandising, Sales, Product Development / Production and Licensees
Calvin Klein Inc (1995 – 1999)
Designer for cK Calvin Klein (Women’s Design - Woven)
- Conceptual line development
- Pre-line opening presentation to Merchandising, Sales and the Japanese licensee
- Rigging of showroom and responsible for go-sees
- In conjunction with Senior Director fit approved initial bodies with both Italian and Japanese licensees from
initial to production.
- Print research and development
- Correct and approve lab-dips and print strike-off from Japanese licensee
- Supervising assignments delegated to assistant and departmental intern
- Central contact to merchandising, licensees, production for all design development
- Responsible for body chart, program chart and presentation book up-date after fitting
- Development of spec packages from initial to salesman samples
Kazu Apparel Group (1993 – 1995)
Designer for Ann Taylor
- Concept through development: - market trends, models, colour and fabric selection
- Research and development for beading and embroidery design
- Delegating assignments to revolving freelancers
Sample-room management and worked with in-house sample-room team and outside contractors
- Co-ordinate fittings, comments and corrections to in-house and outside sample-room
- Initial sample to salesman sample approval

2. - Fabric, trim research and lab-dip approval
Print research and co-ordination with the authority to approve or reject pre-print development
- Liaison between design head-quarters and overseas factories
Professional Freelance Experience:
Polo Ralph Lauren (06/2007 – 07/2008)
Freelance Designer (Blue Label Women’s Knits)
- Worked with design team to prepare initial development packages in Web PDM from sketch to spec.
Freelance / Internships:
Ann Taylor Inc:
Andrew Marc Inc:
Studio Limited Design Inc:
Ann Klein Inc:
Parsons School of Design: (2002 – 2004)
Design Critic / Design Instructor
Design Critic to Junior Semester Students
- Presenting concept and imagery to students working towards their Junior design concept show.
- Redefining /editing of fabrics and sketches designed for the concept, with the Junior students.
- Collaborating with the Junior students on muslin’s and final fabric garments, perfecting towards their Junior
Fashion Show
.
Education:
Parsons School of Design: Fashion Design Major B.F.A. 1993
Community College of Baltimore: General Studies 1988 – 89
Special Skills:
Computer literate: Word Perfect, Group Wise, Microsoft Outlook, PDM Gerber (version 7) and Web PDM.