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Earning $8 a day - the shocking truth about the Russian child model who died in China

By 0 and 0 and 0
29 October 2017

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Tragically the girl died in China in circumstances that are still being fully clarified. Picture: Oksana Dzyuba

Like many hopeful supermodels, schoolgirl Vlada from Perm had the looks for a career in international modelling. 

She was sought after for big fashion shows and there are claims she was on a gruelling 13-hour shoot shortly before falling into a coma. 

Several top modelling agencies in two countries along with a 'manager' arranged her trip to China on a three month contract, missing her school classes back home to do so.

Tragically the girl died in China in circumstances that are still being fully clarified. But there can be no doubt her death was utterly appalling - and avoidable. 

Vlada Dzyuba Vlada Dzyuba

'Shanghai Fashion Week is also investigating when, why and where the 14-year-old Dzyuba died. She could have collapsed after the show.' Pictures: Vlada Dzyuba

Leaving aside any blame, her tragic story is likely to hold lessons for those - anywhere - who deploy teenage girls as models, often enticing them with starry-eyed hopes of fame and fortune in the future, a goal reached by only a handful.

The parents do not have enough money to bring the girl's body back to Russia and she will be cremated in China, reported Mash. 

Her ashes will be then flown home. 

Reports in Russia indicate that for an earlier two month contract based in Beijing this girl was paid around $3,000, but that most of this was eaten up paying for air fares, accommodation, food, tax and insurance, said Komsomolskaya Pravda.

Although - everyone agrees Vlada on her latest trip did not have the medical insurance that she needed when her condition suddenly became critical.

Vlada Dzyuba

On 25 October, she had taken part in a 13-hour long shoot for a jewellery catalogue. Picture: Oksana Dzyuba

On her earlier trip she received around $500 profit from her earnings over 60 or so days - or $8 a day.

Yet undoubtedly her head was turned by the prospects of future modelling success. She had urged per parents to let her make the most of her modelling opportunities.

Accounts vary over precisely what happened to Vlada, and the Global Times in Beijing has disputed the version used in our earlier story by The Siberian Times which came mainly from Russian sources.

In particular, a Chinese modelling agency recruiting her to the country denied it had 'overworked her' during her stay.

Having worked at the prestigious Shanghai Fashion Show, Vlada fell sick during another catwalk appearance in Hagnzhou, it appears.

She died overnight on 27 October. 

Modelling scandal: young girl dies in China after 13 hour fashion show with no medical insurance


Modelling scandal: young girl dies in China after 13 hour fashion show with no medical insurance


Vlada Dzyuba

'She came back to Perm a slightly different personality - grown up, a daring and active girl.' Picture: Oksana Dzyuba

Zheng Yi, chief executive of ESEE Model Management, told The Global Times on Sunday: 'Dzyuba had received 16 different jobs during her two months' stay in China. 

'She had regular breaks while working. Most of her work was completed within eight hours. Her workload was moderate compared with other models.'

Earlier Russian accounts reported by The Siberian Times suggested she died during a 13-hour fashion show. 

Zheng insisted her contract was 'legal'.

ESEE Model Management had signed a three-month contract with Dzyuba's home company, Smirnoff Models based in St. Petersburg, Russia, said the agency boss.

Surprisingly, 'the number of working hours is not stated in the contract', Zheng said according to The Global Times.

Vlada Dzyuba

'Vlada was daily talking to her parents on Skype, saying how happy she was. Picture: Oksana Dzyuba

Russian reports had claimed the girl was overworked and did not have medical insurance which made her reluctant to seek hospital treatment even though her mother - back home in Russia - had urged her to do so. 

The Global Times reported: 'China's Labour Law provides for an eight-hour work day, and 44 hours a week. The law states that cultural, sports and special arts employees are entitled to recruit teenagers under the age 16, but they have to fulfil national permission procedures and ensure their rights to education."

Earlier reports said that the girl had suffered from 'utter exhaustion' and meningitis leading to her collapsing minutes before her latest catwalk appearance. 

The Global Times stated that 'the young model was suffering from septicopyemia, or a type of blood poisoning... with multiple visceral organs damaged, liver dysfunction and renal insufficiency'.

Elvira Zaitseva

Elvira Zaitseva, head of the agency Great Model. Picture: Elvira Zaitseva

The newspaper said she died 'of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome', citing medical records. 

ESEE Model Management - in China - paid for her medical bills, according to a statement Zheng provided, it was reported.

A media representative from the Shanghai Fashion Week told the Global Times Sunday: 'Shanghai Fashion Week is also investigating when, why and where the 14-year-old Dzyuba died. She could have collapsed after the show.'

The fashion show has nothing to do with Dzyuba's death as the show ended on October 18, Zheng said.

The newspaper reported: 'Dzyuba arrived in Yiwu Monday night and checked in at a local hotel. 

'The next day, she was normal, ate breakfast and worked until she felt sick late at night.'

Snaps

ESEE Model Management had signed a three-month contract with Dzyuba's home company, Smirnoff Models based in St. Petersburg, Russia. Picture: Dmitry Smirnov

Her agent cancelled her stay on Wednesday, the statement reads.

'It said, Dzyuba returned to Shanghai at noon and rested at her hotel but she continued feeling uncomfortable. 

'At around 6 pm, she was sent to the Shanghai Rui Jin Hospital's emergency room, and the Russian embassy was also informed.

'On Thursday, Russian embassy staff and the local police arrived at the hospital and inquired about the case.

'Dzyuba was then sent to the intensive care unit (ICU) as her condition deteriorated, according to the statement sent by Zheng.

'Global Times has not received a response from the Russian embassy as of press time.

'Dzyuba was accompanied by ESEE management personnel at the Rui Jin Hospital, Zheng added.

Oksana Dzyuba

Vlada's mom Oksana is now flying to China, and Russian diplomats have been asked to postpone her cremation until she arrives. Picture: Oksana Dzyuba

It has emerged that the child had started modelling aged 12 when she was 178 cm tall. Her mother, editor in chief of a Perm glamour magazine, had brought her to a modelling agency. 

Elvira Zaitseva, head of the agency Great Model, perhaps emphasising unintentionally the pressures on young girls, said: 'When Vlada just started, she was full of teenager insecurities.

'She was shy, she used to slouch. We had to work hard with her.'

After a year attending modelling school, Vlada took part in fashion shows. She had to be 14 in order to travel abroad alone, and did so after receiving her passport for foreign travel, visiting China.

Vlada Dzyuba

The parents do not have enough money to bring the girl's body back to Russia and she will be cremated in China. Picture: Oksana Dzyuba

Zaitseva explained: 'In this country (China), the active age of models is young, from 14 to 18 years old. So far there is no jobs for teenage girls in Europe. 

'We discussed her career with her parents, and decided to send her to China. They treat young models with great care there. 

'Vlada was daily talking to her parents on Skype, saying how happy she was. 

'She was telling stories about fashion shows, about what an exciting oriental country China is, and that she became a face of a transatlantic company.'

While she was away from school, 'kept studying', reported Komsomolskaya Pravda.

Zaitseva said: 'She came back to Perm a slightly different personality - grown up, a daring and active girl. We thought that she would dive into her studies, but she didn't. 

Modelling scandal: young girl dies in China after 13 hour fashion show with no medical insurance


Modelling scandal: young girl dies in China after 13 hour fashion show with no medical insurance


Modelling scandal: young girl dies in China after 13 hour fashion show with no medical insurance

Doctors at a Shanghai hospital that fought for Vlada's life. Pictures: NTV

'All she could speak about was a modelling career. While she was in China she started to chat to other girls, to those who already worked abroad. 

'She was dreaming about applying to an International Modeling Academy in Singapore after completing her 9th class. Her parents supported her.'

The newspaper reported that her parents supported her in returning to China. 

On 25 October, she had taken part in a 13-hour long shoot for a jewellery catalogue before doing another show by a prominent oriental designer. 

She collapsed into a coma and an ambulance took her to hospital. 

Dmitry Smirnov


Modelling scandal: young girl dies in China after 13 hour fashion show with no medical insurance

A man believed to be her manager has declined to comment on her death. Picture: The Siberian Times

Perm investigators and human rights experts are probing the case. The human rights ombudsman in Perm, Pavel Mikov, said he was personally investigating the girl's death. 

Her distraught mother Oksana wept: '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.'

The mother - who also has a young baby - sought a visa to be with her daughter but could not get it before her child died. 

She is now flying to China, and Russian diplomats have been asked to postpone her cremation until she arrives. 

A man believed to be her manager has declined to comment on her death. 

Vlada Dzyuba, 14, died on October 27 in Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai, in circumstances that are still being fully clarified.

Vlada Dzyuba

Comments (15)

There are those who love young models. They don't care how badly the model is treated they just love looking at them in mostly almost naked photos. The girls, after they get to old get pushed into porn. It is sad to see this. Vladmodels from russia are the worst. Being an artist I have bumped into a few on twitter.
Tj, United States
21/07/2020 14:59
1
0
Rip for this angel !
Feeling sad and angry on the people responsible,8 dollars I really can't understand.They just manipulated her.
Varun, Delhi
07/06/2018 06:33
1
0
Enrique, have you always been a jackass?
Tony, Pottsville, USA
01/11/2017 18:53
2
4
Very sad story.

Shame on those who bear the responsability,
may the authorities punish them very, very hard, as an example !

Rest in Peace, Little Angel.

May the Lord watch over you.


Long JC Duget, Paris-France/Shaoshan-China
01/11/2017 06:22
2
0
Sad story which show again how young women, humans are treated like merchandise. In this world of modeling it is drugs, prostitution, bad condition of health... So I don't know why women are so stupid to enter in this kind of life better to study at school to be doctor, teacher, etc The manager got a strange behavior also...
Mamba, Malaysia
31/10/2017 07:05
4
0
Oh, OH... So very sorry to hear of this...
Bill Michael, Elizabethtown, KY USA
30/10/2017 23:57
6
0
Erine, you have to learn to read and understand English better. $8 is wage minus expenses. The original wage was more than $8 per hour.

Enrique are you a comedian who sells laughs for a living? :)
Eng, UK
30/10/2017 21:23
2
7
Perhaps she commited suicide because she rejected prostitution...and that is why she was paid much less than other models.
Enrique, Spain
30/10/2017 19:26
1
10
Perhaps she was paid less because she didn´t accept prostitution...
Enrique, Spain
30/10/2017 19:20
0
8
Foreign models in China are paid 100 dollars a hour at least while domestic models are paid 80 dollars/hour, She only got 8 dollars a day, something must went wrong.
Erine, China
30/10/2017 13:17
5
5
What's a pity,how a beautiful age,should be accept knowledge at school . This age should be learning, not trying to make money.
Amy liu, Beijing
30/10/2017 12:29
13
1
i blame the parents even more. they should have never let a 14 year old kid go there. but it is the money,money,money that counts. and more often than the other way around it are the parents, or special a mother, who pushes and cajoles her kids to do things they are not ready to do. where their body is not done yet to work these long hours and do that hard work. GREED is the main motivator behind that, not only in Russia by the way. well, the parents have to live with that for the rest of their lives.
Benedikt MORAK, Moscow
30/10/2017 10:48
16
3
Very unfortunate. Both agencies should pay more attention on the working regulation for teenage models.
Diwan, Indonesia
30/10/2017 10:03
12
0
Indeed the hour is all ready here when death is persecuting life, the world is creeping deeper and deeper into mire of sin and shadow of death.
Lazar, Moscow
30/10/2017 09:05
9
0
Sounds like all models, need to stay out of China.
Darwin, USA
30/10/2017 08:51
10
12
1

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