Family affair
TXT: YOSS / RÓMULO SANS PHOTO: RÓMULO SANS

Cuban fashion is a family affair. In a world without bookers or agents or private agencies, for many well-known models, the eminence grise of their success is an anxious, inexhaustible mother.
They accompany their darlings to castings. They talk to the directors, find whatever the producers or photographers need. They infiltrate the dressing rooms and argue with the stylists: “Don’t wet my daughter’s hair!”; “My little girl’s not wearing that!” Never mind that the ‘little girl’ is over 18 years old and 1,80 m tall! During Cubamoda and other catwalk shows, they reserve seats in the front row, traditional fiefdom of photographers. If one happens to be missing and you manage to get a seat among them, you’ll hear them boasting about their little girls’ careers and you’ll know when each one’s daughter appears by the frenzied applause. Eight of this year’s best Cuban models invite us to meet their mothers at home in familiar daily surroundings...

LOYRA
She studied Foreign Trade and her military father was not happy at first with her modelling at La Maison. She later also worked at the Habana Libre hotel. Loira is a creature of the night, in love with parties and shows. Her mother, a retired biology teacher, still does her daughter’s nails: “maintaining family ties is always important.”

+ information pág. 34-41 The H Book 2007 08