Rest in Peace - Ruslana Korshunova

Today the entire fashion industry find ourselves mourning the death of one our brightest stars - Ruslana Korshunova.

I can still remember Ruslana showing up for a casting during her very first season here in New York City - she could truly light up an entire room with her beautiful smile and her haunting eyes. Ruslana was truly one of the few Russian models that I would often see around town always smiling and appearing to be absolutely loving life. While many of the Russian models skulking around the city often appear to be completely serious and career driven, Ruslana always seemed to take her modeling success in stride. But now we all know that outward appearances can truly be deceiving. I can not fathom what darkness could drive a beautiful young creature like Ruslana to such hopelessness, but I pray that there is a sanctuary in Heaven for divine lost souls.

Ruslana Korshunova in a stirring commercial for Nina Ricci Parfum

The following Courtesy of Wikipedia:

EARLY LIFE AND CAREER

Ruslana Korshunova was born in Alma-Ata, Kazakh SSR, and was of Russian descent. She spoke fluent Russian, English and German. She was discovered in 2003, when All Asia magazine printed a story on Almaty's local German language club, which Korshunova was then attending. Her photograph, which was featured in the article, caught the attention of Debbie Jones of Models 1, who tracked down and signed up the then 15-year-old Korshunova.

Korshunova was represented by IMG (New York, Paris, London and Milan), Beatrice (Milan), Traffic Models (Barcelona), Marilyn Models and iCasting Moscow, which was her mother agency. Korshunova modeled for the covers of Elle (France), Vogue (Poland) and Vogue (Russia). She also modeled in print-ads for Blugirl by Blumarine, Clarins, Ghost, Girbaud, Kenzo Accessories, Marithé & François, Max Studio, Moschino, Old England, Pantene Always Smooth, Paul Smith and Vera Wang lingerie.

DEATH

On June 28, 2008 at around 2:30 p.m., Korshunova died after falling from the ninth-floor balcony of her Water Street apartment in Manhattan's Financial District. Police stated there were no signs of a struggle in her apartment and concluded that Korshunova's death is an apparent suicide.

One of her friends stated that Korshunova had just returned from a modeling gig in Paris, noting that she seemed to be "on top of the world" with no apparent reason why she would commit suicide. Korshunova's former boyfriend, Artem Perchenok, said he dropped Korshunova off at her apartment several hours before her death after they watched the Demi Moore film Ghost together. "She was a good person," he told The New York Post. However, she appeared brokenhearted and angry in some of her postings on a social networking site. Korshunova's most telling message came three months ago: "I'm so lost. Will I ever find myself?”

My heart goes out to her family and friends. Rest in Peace Ruslana - Your beauty will shine forever. (Enjoy this beatiful photo tribute to Ruslana Korshunova)