Pre-Modeling Start 

• How did you come up with an idea to become a fashion model?
  

It all started, when I was just a teenager, but I certainly have to go back when I was kid, when having birthdays was really a motive to be well dressed, elegant matched, as though if I was a sort of prince, there's no ego in it, but I recall being dressed by my mom and aunts, and remembering my grandmother taking always good care of everything, I've been raised between women, therefore I think this was the real start of me, having this creative idea of becoming a representative image somehow! Music has helped me so much, Pop culture has influenced in my style all the way, I remember that Spice Girls,Backstreet Boys, were the most trendy topic, at the moment, and my first influential groups of all times, their style at singing, at dressing was really an inspiration for me not only in music, it has developed my language skills, so far! Growing up, my interests didn't change that much, I remember when I had nothing to do on weekends I used to go to spend so much time in my neighbor's apartment watching magazines, all of them based on the Fashion Industry, designs, style , and getting fueled by them, I started to figure out myself how could I be one of them.

How was the fashion modeling business in Cuba by that time?

Cuba, historically in Fashion back in the 50s was always recognize for its, hyper lifestyle, nightlife was really high into style, class division; I've heard & blown away by hearing many about what we've had in the City such brands like Chanel & Dior boutiques, as long as I want to know more about this, the more I could picture all those people living in their great lifestyle, before the Revolution.

With that being said, and knowing that it would be such a hard time for me believing in dreams such like becoming a model, I was aware that we've had very good models figures here, I didn't follow them anywhere, just watch them not often on TV. Each Saturday, I remember watching the 6:30 pm Program named (23 & M) to check if by chance they had any Fashion Show, just ocassionally you could watch it, not very often.

Who were your neighbors?

I've had a lot, her name was Sahily, she was my classmate 3 years in high and the 2 years in medium school, she used to live with her mom and her grandps, very loveones, she lived 2 blocks away from where I live and her mom had this basket full of magazines given to her, in the hotel she worked as cleaner and housekeeper, she just piled them up, and I was so happy that I could spend hours and hours, just reading at them, I must say I used to be quite a fan of celebs... haha, but it was so fun!!!

Really was!

Ever since every time I have a chance to have a magazine and if it's big sized with many pages as posible, I will be really attached to it, no matter editorial, cause I've seen a lot of them, so I know what I want to see, for sure.

What was the magazine?

The first magazine I had was «Elle», after that, just to mention:

Glamour, GQ, Marie Claire, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar & L'Officiel.

By the time you were 13, did you know anything about fashion and fashion model?

I think I had an idea of something concerning to style, not fashion precisely, was looking forward to have my own definition, to start looking through the pages over and over, I remember being so attached to accessories, glasses, watches, rings, shoes, bags, perfume ads... and right after I was falling more and more into wardrobe, as long as I could learn about myself picturing me wearing those robes...yes being always a dreamer!

How did you look those days (btw do you have a photo of being 13?

So far, I remember me being the very same skinny kid, now I'm taller, and I have such a different look, cause I've been introspectively looking for some different persona on what i was before!

By that time what professions would your friends be considering?

Dancing, Acting, Athlete...

Before this, were you considering other professions?

Study Languages, becoming translator or work for tourism!!!

Did you share your idea about becoming the fashion model with your mother?

Never could share about my artistic or creative dreams with my mother, she was so empowered by not feeling anything towards whatever could contain homosexuality content,

my family don't support anything I do even when they knew what I was doing, what I was learning, they kept their hopes to me becoming an athlete! I just couldn't make it.

Other relatives? Friends?

Yes and no, I mean, I was having this ideal dream I really wanted to achieved at the moment and still now, but every time I had a chance to share something, with me there was always a fake motivation response and I was doing just fine..

What was their reaction?

They just said things that would made me happy in a way, but not because they were feeling it the same way, like being proud or something like that.

Was there anyone, who supported you in your dream?

Just a few to mention, in which now I feel so much gratitude for all their support. His name is Felix Palmero & Amanda Bjorn Thanks to them I made this far in modeling photography, having exposed myself in social media, it started for fun, and I was enjoying every step of the journey we were taking and people who didn't knew about me, started to notice that I was doing just fine but certainly they were realizing just now.

How were you picturing the life of a fashion model life?

it's time to build myself up, growing more, learning that the many highs and lows, didn't take me somewhere for nothing, I know it'll be exhausting, but I consider keep doing what I love for better purpose, I do want to taste that slice and keep moving forward, in whatever I want to accomplish while I have the chance to do so.

I think that having a Fashion Model Lifestyle could be as huge as tiring, as light as dark, I think is about my balance, all the strength I've built along the years, all the uncertain thoughts provoked from hatred and racism, helped me to know and embrace myself better everyday, I think I will never stop thinking of it, cause all of these struggles they didn't just helped me to overcome against negative judgments, it also has served to me to be more confident and be more comfortable with myself inside out, I do think in succeed, specially when I know where I'm coming from, and the possible things that could be done to encourage people like me.

There will always be a competition, but as much as I want, even in difficult times, I should keep positively focused in my thrive all the way.

What was your first step to making your dream come true?

Being in a fashion show, for a freelancer local designer. It was the first time of me walking on La Época at the lobby's store on 2004. Collaborations continued coming right after taking part in the Biennial of Havana with designer Ignacio Carmona (Nachi) performing nude with the visual artist Mendive. I was part of his Afrá collection, inspired in Africa costumes back in 2012. I also collaborated with the Mexican Clothing Brand (The Jaguar Club), KHR-Cuba, and featured on Belleza Tropical Issue on solarmag.es in 2018, with photographer Juan Guillermo Escobar.