Cuban fashion

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HAVANA

The young Cuban models in training strutted down the runway in a colonial mansion in Old Havana with a singular Caribbean style.

Hips swinging a bit more than they do on the average New York catwalk, the girls and young women from the Argane modeling school showed off clothing styled mostly on a colonial theme.

Wearing long, unstructured white dresses decorated with lace, they fixed elaborate combs in their hair and carried fans.

Both male and female models train at the small school, which aims to prepare them for a world in fashion -- a sector still little developed in the communist-run country, where the government rejects commercialism.

"In other countries, models are 'constructed,' " says modeling teacher Gisela de la Barca. "We have to work three times as hard, and almost always we have to keep up with other jobs or studies."

"Mostly we do this for love of the art," Miss de la Barca says as she puts the finishing touches on a student's hairstyle.

Although the girls and young women, ranging from 13 to 24 years in age, practice at the school twice a week, the teacher says few will ever step onto an international runway.

"I think that the foreign [modeling] agencies haven't discovered the Cuban woman at this level, or we haven't had the opportunity to let them know her," Miss de la Barca says.

Nine young men also are enrolled at the school, but they did not participate in the show, recently held in honor of the late Cuban songstress Rosita Fornes, who was popular in the 1950s.

All of the students receive training in runway work, photo sessions and some work as product models at events.

"I want to be a professional model," 14-year-old Marianna Vazquez says, touching up her makeup backstage.

"I like working with Cuban models," says designer Ismael de la Caridad. "They walk like they are singing, with cadence and an unmatchable flavor."