Behind the Sash & Harness - Encuerado Weekend

Sep 16, 2025

5 min read

Immediately after I got home from CMEN’s West Coast Gathering, I found details for a new leather contest in my inbox. Encuerado Weekend was scheduled for the following weekend, and I knew this would be a great way to show off my new sash and title.

Truthfully, I didn’t know that at first. I was swamped with prep for production on my digital series Misguided and not entirely sure I could pull off attending any of the weekend’s events. After checking the website and figuring out what I could realistically make time for, without draining my energy or staying out past a reasonable hour, I settled on two: the Leather Kink Erotic Art Show at Lustren in Downtown LA, and the “anything goes” Mr. Cuero Contest.

For anyone not familiar with Spanish: encuerado loosely translates to “stripped down” or “naked,” which felt like a playful nod to leather, kink, and body-positive celebration. Cuero means “leather,” but it’s also slang for “hottie.” So, “Mr. Cuero” is both “Mr. Leather” and “Mr. Sexy.” Pretty clever, right?

When I ran for Mr. CMEN Leather, the contest included questions on leather history and protocol, so I know there’s a certain way to approach events like these… especially as a titleholder. While I was in the neighborhood of Rough Trade, I stopped in to get my new Mr. CMEN Leather patch sewn onto a title vest. I figured that for these events, it would make more sense to wear the vest rather than the sash. I’m still learning when to wear what, but I think I’m getting the hang of it. Unfortunately, my vest wouldn’t be ready in time for the weekend, though it should be finished before my trip to Folsom at the end of the month.

For the Leather Kink art show Sombras de mi Barrio (which translates to “Shadows of My Neighborhood”), featuring the artwork of Hector Silva, I wore my Cellblock 13 saddle pants, a regular leather bar vest, and a white t-shirt I picked up at my first Folsom Street Fair. Since I didn’t feel the sash was necessary here (and thankfully, it wasn’t), and my vest wasn’t ready yet, I opted to wear my Mr. CMEN Leather medal instead. It was a subtle but nice way to highlight that I had recently won. Plus, my new business cards had just arrived, perfect for pointing people to my website and socials so they could follow along with my title year.

I’m always punctual, and with this being in a public store, I arrived a little early-- shoutout to a smooth Metro LA ride! I browsed around before noticing the mini-gallery tucked toward the back. The artwork stopped me in my tracks. Hector’s sketches were so realistic they could have been photographs, and any of them would have looked incredible hanging in my bedroom. But one piece kept pulling me back: a set of three legs in black leather pants with bright red stilettos. Simple, yet captivating. I knew I had to have it. So I bought it and even got a photo with Hector himself.

That piece, for me, represented my journey in leather: I’m not afraid to add a pop of color, I’m not afraid to lean into feminine energy, and I’m certainly not afraid to show up authentically in my community. The event itself was mellow, but I’m glad I went. It was a reminder that leather is as much about art and self-expression as it is about gear.

The following day, Sunday, I was back filming Misguided. I wasn’t sure what time we’d wrap, but I was hopeful I could still catch part of the Mr. Cuero Contest. The website only mentioned that the pre-party started at 2 p.m. at Rough Trade, which was conveniently less than a 10-minute drive from the set. My plan was to bring my leather gear with me and change afterward, and thankfully, it worked out.

We wrapped around 4, and in the middle of a heat wave, there was no way I was squeezing back into my saddle pants. I opted for black denim shorts, functional, but still sharp with the rest of my outfit: sash, black tie-up crop top, and, at the last minute, my little leather daddy hat. Honestly, I loved the look.

“Congratulations,” was one of the first things I heard when I walked in. The cashier who had helped me with my vest just days earlier recognized me, and soon another attendee congratulated me as well. It didn’t dawn on me right away that this would become the theme of the night.

When I went to check in, I was told I didn’t need a ticket, my sash was my ticket. That felt pretty great, honestly. Inside, the vibe was totally different from the contests I’ve attended at bars. This was more like something out of a leather fantasy. My eyes immediately went to the darkroom setup in the back, but restraint won the day, it was better for me to mingle and soak in the community, even if my introverted side was working overtime.

I knew my time was limited, I had an early call the next day, and this time I’d be on camera, so I wanted to make the most of the hours I did have. And you know what, reader? I did.

Almost immediately I ran into a fellow content creator who gave me the biggest hug and a congratulatory kiss. “You didn’t tell me you were a titleholder?” he teased.

“I mean, it only happened last weekend, so this is kind of my debut in public,” I laughed. We chatted about IML—it’ll be his first time, and I shared my past experiences while admitting this year will feel different with a stricter schedule.

And then, something strange happened: people kept waving to me, approaching me, wanting to talk. Wearing the sash felt like the opposite of an invisibility cloak. As another titleholder told me, it’s like putting on a target. But it was exciting. A former International Mr. Leather, Jamal Herrera-O’Malley (IML 46), waved to me and came over to chat. We’d crossed paths before, but this was the first time he initiated the conversation. He asked about my title year, reminded me to savor it, and gave me that extra push to keep documenting the moments, exactly why I wanted to blog in the first place.

The highlight, though, was meeting Mr. San Diego Leather, Kevin. He welcomed me into my IML class group chat and introduced me to the online community. That moment made everything feel real… my title year had officially begun, and connections were already forming.

And, okay, one more highlight: Ongina (from the very first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race) was there. The night I won, people had compared my bald head, corset, and tiny hat combo to her look, so it felt full-circle seeing her at this event. The universe has a funny way of winking at you like that.

With one event under my belt, I’m excited to see what else the year holds as I travel to different contests and gatherings.

Until next time.