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Volume XXVI, Number 12
Committed to cultural diversity.
March 20, 1996
(The ^ o rtla n h (©bseruer
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SECTION
Designer Excels In World Market
Concert For
Flood Relief
A flood re lie f concert will be held
Saturday at 7 p.m. at Tualatin High
School featuring a perform ance by
John Nilsen with Jeff Leonard, Jason
Moore and Dan Balmer. The event is
co-sponsored by the city o f Tualatin
Parks and Recreation and Kids and
Co. Donations o f at least $ 10 will be
taken at the door.
Musical Talents
Featured
Showtime ’96, a concert that high
lights the talents o f the “ No! Kid
ding! C h o ir” and ja z z m usicians
Janice Scroggins and Rick M cNutt
will be held Thursday, April 4 at 6:30
p.m. at the Melody B allroom , 615
S.E. Alder. The concert is dedicated
to prom oting cultural and music di
versity,.
Donor Base
Help Offered
The Black United Fund offers expert
help for people working with non-profit
organizations to build a donor base. For
information, call Artangia Presley at 282-
7973.
Dax Warps
To Portland
Terry Farrell, Lt. Jadzia Dax from Star
Trek: Deep Space Nine, will be the guest
a Portland Star Trek convention, March
30-31, at the Portland Airport Holiday
Inn, 8439 N.E. Columbia Blvd., with
doors opening daily at 11 a.m. and clos
ing at 6 p.m.
Music Millennium
Recital
Flutist James Galway will present a
special Portland recital with pianist Phillip
Moll, Tuesday, March 26 from noon to
p.m. at Classical Millennium, located at
32nd and East Burnside.
Portland native Ramon Blackburn and his “Marquis" clothing is making its way around the world.
bv
P amela J ordan
hree years ago Ramon Blackburn
had two things: a bag of self-
designed T-shirts he passed
out to anyone who’d have them,
dream - to be the king of men’s casual
clothing.
T
A year-and-a-half later his fashions could
be found in two Portland-area Nordstrom
stores, and a few small west-coast shops.
Today the 26-year-old Portland native
manages merchandise sold as far away as
Chicago, New York, Sweden and Japan from
his clothing store and offices in Multnomah
Village.
“ It feels good to see the company survive,
and do as well as it’s done in just 36-months,”
said Blackburn.
Designs for Blackburn’s Marquis Ramone
line o f extra-heavy-w eight T -shirts,
sweatshirts, rugbys and shorts were inspired
by casual menswear giant Tommy Hilflger.
But Marquis Ramone has a unique streetwise
and
flair a that’s all its own. And the extra large
em broidered logos found on many of
Women
Volunteers
Needed
(Photo by Pamela Jordan)
young people are currently wearing. He also
studies music videos to gauge ever changing
fashion trends.
“Our target market, the 16 to 34 year-old-
male, is influenced by what celebrities are
wearing. I try not only to keep on top of those
"Our target market, the 16 to 34 year-old-male, is
influenced by what celebrities are wearing. I try not only to
keep on top of those trends, but to stay one step ahead, ”
Ramon Blackburn
Blackburn’s clothes set them apart from the
competition.
An avid people watcher, the Grant High
School grad also gets a lot of ideas for his
clothing line by keeping a close eye on what
trends, but to stay one step ahead,” said
Blackburn.
Hundreds of Ralph Lauren wanna-bees
hound clothing store buyers with what they
hope are eye-catching designs. Blackburn
Gov. John Kitzhaber
stopped at the
offices o f the
Portland Observer
Friday to discuss
business and
community concerns.
Continued to page B6
«
Women in Community Service is re
cruiting women volunteers for positions
as mentors for graduates of their lifeskills
program. The next training session is
April 13. For information, call Mary
McMenamin at 280-6646, extension 2 5 1
or Claudia Delgado at 280-6640, exten
sion 310.
A >
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Riverboat
Cruise Set
Workers for Durham Construction are building new homes in the King neighbor
hood on Northeast Roselawn.
A M ississippi Riverboat Gaming
Cruise to benefit Community Vision,
a nonprofit agency to help people
wiih developm ental disabilities, will
be held Friday, March 29, leaving
from Stark and Front streets aboard
the Sternw heeler C olum bia Gorge.
Participants who beat the dealer at
poker, craps and Roulette will earn
changes to win vacation getaways,
restaurant gift certificates, event tick
ets and other prizes.
SUBMISSIONS: Community
Calendar information will be given
priority if dated two weeks
before the event date.
was no except ion In hisearly days, Blackburn
took his designs to clothing stores to promote
his line and get feedback from salespeople.
One day while meeting a clerk for lunch, a
buyer was sitting nearby. That buyer gave
Blackburn his first big break, placing his
items in Nordstrom’s Brass Rail departments
at Lloyd Center and Washington Square.
“You’d be amazed at how many people
comb buyers with their designs,” said former
Nordstrom buyer Shane Morris. “But Ramon
was more persistent and more passionate
than the other designers who come in. He
kept coming back, he’s had direction and
he’s focused.”
Blackburn’s oversized fashions are made
by a Portland apparel manufacturer. General
sales m anager Don Thom pson thinks
Blackburn’s soft-spoken manner, and baby
faced looks disguise a hustle and tenacity rare
in someone his age.
“Blackburn is willing to listen and learn,
said Thompson. “His patience is a key factor
in his success so far.”
Thompson, who also works with large
companies including Nike, Land’s End and
L.L. Bean, plays and important role in guid
ing the young entrepreneur. Together Th
ompson, Blackburn, and Jerry Manns,
Matquis’ color coordinator, meet in the com
pany “war-room," selecting color schemes
for the upcoming seasons.
“War room discussions can get pretty heat
ed. Sometimes we disagree, but Ramon’s
willingness to work with us is why he’s doing
well.”
Blackburn thinks this “war-room” strate
gy has been successful so far, but he admits
his love of wide ranging colors have lead to
some poor choices.
“One fall we used some unusual browns,
and a plum we couldn’t get rid of,” said
Blackburn. “We had a hard time moving it.”
Blackburn’s older brother, Anthony, is
president and business manager of Marquis
Ramone. He sees his role as more than keep
ing track of the books. His job is to free up his
younger brother to be creative.
“ W ithout R am one’s creativ ity , we
wouldn’t be where we’re at today,” said
Anthony Blackburn. “ My job is to guard
▼
Durham Sees
In Construction
Oscar Party
At Mittleman
An Oscar-like party with food, decora
tions and festivities will be held March 30
at 6 p.m. to support the Mittleman Jewish
Community Center. The fundraising event
will be held at the center at 6651 S.W.
Capitol Highway.
B
dward T. Durham Jr. is not your
construction m anagem ent and after six
ordinary contractor. He is as
months veered out to start his own busi
enterprising as he's dexterous.
ness.
And because of his high driven energy,
Durham, Inc., is responsible for build
he's never failed in his endeavors.
ing over 24 housing units in partnership
E
Elyse Clawson, director o f Oregon Juvenile Justice Services, police chief Charles
Moose (left) and Bishop A. A. Wells assemble to open a new center for juvenile
offenders at the Mallory Avenue Church in northeast Portland.
At age 9, Durham was selling hot dogs
in the street o f Boston, Mass. And at age
I 1. he had his hands on fixing bikes for
area children.
Today, Durham 38, owns one o f the
few successful minority-owned construc
tion com panies - Durham Northwest In
dustries, Inc
Moved by opportunities that abound
in the P o rtlan d co n stru c tio n arena,
Durham left Boston 18 months ago to
settle in Portland
He had a stint with his brother in
with area developers.
“The key to is to deliver,” Durham said. “I
don’t whine, I get the job done, that’s why my
business is getting bigger everyday.”
The local contractor is a bonded and
insured business, located at 317 N.E
K illingsw orth.
“ A lot o f people are concerned with
failures and I d o n ’t have those feel
ings,” said Durham
So when next you need a hand to take
care o f your construction needs, contact
Durham, Inc, at (503) 319-0821.