Mask marvels

While driving east down the 3600 block of Fullerton Avenue, we spotted a row of Mexican wrestling masks perched atop steel fence posts like trophies of fallen opponents.

We pulled over at Monticello Avenue to maybe score a cool wardrobe accessory, and met designer Jorge Vasquez and his wife, Carmen, who set up camp there every weekday after 3pm, and weekends after 11am. Vasquez, a wrestler, says he started making masks and outfits out of sheer necessity. “In 1989, a promoter in Chicago invited me to be part of a show, and it was funny because I had gained a lot of weight, and every time I would bend over, my pants would fall down,” Vasquez says.

He had never used a sewing machine, so he decided to track down an old friend who coached him through the process. “And like everything, if you’re interested, you learn,” says Vasquez, who eventually found a mentor in an instructor at Jo-Ann Fabrics, who also taught him how to make patterns. And when he attended matches, the native Texan would ask wrestlers, some from Mexico, if he could look at his mask to see how it was made, paying attention to things like the laces in the back.

It was also necessity that forced Vasquez to start selling his wares on the street—and what has helped grow a notable list of customers, including pro wrestlers like King Fire, who will appear at the upcoming Lucha Libre at the Congress Theater Sunday 18. 

Four years ago, Vasquez was holding down a regular job, but he and his wife were having trouble making ends meet once their fifth child, a daughter, was born. “I came home from work one day with the money from my paycheck that I had just cashed, and after rent, Pampers…I didn’t have enough money for milk,” he says. Frustrated, his wife pointed to all the masks he had been toying with that were scattered around the house, and told him to pick them up or get them out. Vasquez, an ex-Marine, grabbed his old duffel and was soon out the door with over 500 masks in tow.

He headed first to Chicago Comics in Lakeview, whose owner bought a couple masks. And then went to Strange Cargo, where he struck a deal with the owner and walked away with $600 for the bag. “In a couple weeks, he called saying he wanted more,” Vasquez says.

While Strange Cargo doesn’t carry his masks anymore, he still sells to Chicago Comics (3244 N Clark St; 773-528-1983), Uncle Fun (1338 W Belmont Ave; 773-477-8223) and Leather Sport (3505 N Halsted St; 773-868-0914).

Vasquez now designs and cuts out the patterns, while Carmen sews. Their handiwork—which includes capes, ring jackets and bodysuits—has been praised by wrestlers from Mexico, and they also do commission work. They once tackled a highly detailed Spiderman bodysuit and intricate tiger and lion masks with the traditional Mexican wrestling mask design.

Vasquez says he always tries to use good material, “even a $20 mask will last about seven years.” The masks on the fence on Fullerton—made from lycra, polyester, spandex and pleather (or “wet look”)—ranged from $20–$80. Vasquez says they’ve been breaking even. When we asked if buyers are mainly aspiring wrestlers, we guess his answer shouldn’t have surprised us. “Believe it or not,” he says, “my [best] clientele are the young yuppie people…they recognize the work.”

Lucha Libre is Sunday 18. See Sports listings. Visit www.myspace.com/chi_town_best_masks or e-mail maskman112003@yahoo.com.