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...

GISELLE
She started modelling at La Maison, but her real love is computing. She dreams of moving into IT one day. Meanwhile, the camera loves her. Her parents have always supported her modelling career like two watchful shadows who accompany her to every show and who provide their pearls of wisdom: “It’s good for the girl to be very clear about the fact that youth and beauty pass but intelligence and qualifications are forever.”

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