From Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen to Derrick Rose. Their numbers hang from the ceiling of the United Center, the temple of the Chicago Bulls. Los banners with their numbers are made by hand on the South Side of Chicago. With Mexican seamstress. Estela Parrawho sewed Rose’s ‘banner’, opens for EFE the historic ‘WGN Flag & Decorating’ workshop.
“Making these banners costs two to three months
Estela Parra
In a hidden corner of the ‘South Side’ de Chicagoabout 20 kilometers from the city center, is ‘WGN’. Founded in 1916 and owned by Gus Porter, this store held the banners with Michael Jordan’s 23, Pippen’s 33, Rose’s 1as well as the 6 ‘banners’ of the rings conquered by MJ’s Bulls.
“I didn’t have school, I didn’t have anything, it’s educational. I didn’t go to school, but little by little I learned,”
Estela Parra
Hanging from the ceiling of the United Center, they are responsible for remembering the weight of history. A warning to the Bulls’ rivals, and also added pressure for those who now make up the Chicago franchise.
“All the Bulls banners have been made in this company. Everything is sewn by hand and separately”
Estela Parra has more than 40 years of experience sewing iconic banners. The last one was that of Derrick Rose, NBA MVP in 2011, which the Bulls hung at the United Center last Saturday. It measures three meters by four and required more than three months of work.
“All the Bulls banners have been made in this company. Part by me, part by my teammates. Everything is sewn by hand and separately,” Parra told EFE.
Estela ParraEFE
“Making these ‘banners’ takes two to three months, but this time it took longer. Rose’s mother stopped by, came and put some rose petals in an open part at number 1, in honor of her son. After it was closed, she and Rose’s brothers came to see it,” Parra told EFE.
Born in Guadalajara, she lived for many years in Mexicali, Baja California, before moving to North Hollywood. 40 years ago she came to Chicago invited by her sister-in-law Lupe Rinconeño for a vacation. She ended up staying in the Windy City, where she works as a seamstress at WGN alongside Lupe herself.
“I didn’t have school, I didn’t have anything, it’s educational. I didn’t go to school, but little by little I learned,” said Parra.
The Mexican seamstress was in charge of sewing Rose’s number, the bright red 1 that shines on a white background. Lupe Rinconeño supported the work and, among other things, made the red frame of the banner.
Estela Parra: the Mexican seamstress of the Chicago BullsEFE
Last Saturday, the United Center was filled with more than 20,000 fans despite -20 degrees Celsius temperatures and a snow storm, to honor Derrick Rose on the day his jersey was retired.
Estela Parra was in the pavilion invited by the Bulls
“Being there, everything was an unexpected reaction, because if you look at the video, it was something I didn’t expect. I didn’t know they were going to put it up there, my reaction was surprise,” admitted the seamstress.
The Bulls aren’t the only ones to turn to ‘WGN Flag & Decorating’ for their banners. The Chicago Bears of the NFL, the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL, and the Chicago White Sox of the MLB are also regular customers of the store founded in 1916 by William George Newbould (WGN), great-great-grandfather of current owner Gus Porter.
The Houston Rockets and the Minnesota Timberwolves also entrust WGN with their banners. And beyond sports, a large number of flags and banners seen on the streets of Chicago also bear the signature of the store in the south of the city.
Sofia Reyes covers basketball and baseball for Archysport, specializing in statistical analysis and player development stories. With a background in sports data science, Sofia translates advanced metrics into compelling narratives that both casual fans and analytics enthusiasts can appreciate. She covers the NBA, WNBA, MLB, and international basketball competitions, with a particular focus on emerging talent and how front offices build winning rosters through data-driven decisions.
