How did Vlada Dzyuba a 14 year Russian model come to be literally worked to death? A failure of checks and balances and the exploitation of teen girls in the fashion industry.
Disconcert has come to the fore with the revelation that 14 year old Russian model, Vlada Dzyuba has died after enduring a 12 hour fashion show.
The teen’s death comes after suffering form ‘utter exhaustion’ during a three month modeling assignment in Shanghai, China.
Despite efforts to revive the girl, The Siberian Times reported the fashion model never regaining consciousness and dying two days later.
The outlet cited claims Dzyuba suffering from chronic meningitis.
The girl’s death comes amidst claims the model was on a ‘slave labor’ contract and had been too afraid to seek medical treatment.
Officially she was only allowed to work three hours a week.
A number of young Russian models are recruited to China, with Vlada’s capitulation raising questions as to the burdensome working conditions models are subjected to and henceforth exploited.
Vlada Dzyuba Russian model: An intentional disregard of working conditions?
Reacting to the girl’s death, the UK’s Sun reported Moscow set to demand an explanation over the conditions Vlada had been living in during her time working in Asia.
At the time of her demise, Dzyuba’s temperature having soared prior to making her way on the catwalk.
It wasn’t clear whether organizers had many any attempt to sideline the girl or whether Dzyuba simply feared making remonstrations for fear of having her modeling contract canceled.
Told the girl’s mother, Oksana, ‘She was calling me, saying ‘Mama, I am so tired. I so much want to sleep’.
‘It must have been the very beginning of the illness. And then her temperature shot up.
‘I didn’t sleep myself and was calling her constantly, begging her to go to hospital.’
Oksana had been trying to get a visa to fly out and join her daughter before the girl passed away.
The head of the Perm modeling agency behind her trip, Elvira Zaitseva, said: ‘No-one expected it to lead to such consequences.
‘We are now reaping what we have sown.’
She admitted not checking Valda’s contract and if she had proper medical insurance.
It wasn’t clear whether an adult guardian had ever been nominated to maintain the teen girl’s well being along with other models, along with ensuring fair working rights.
Kremlin human rights ombudsman in Perm, Pavel Mikov, is personally investigating the girl’s death.
