THESE days, it seems that fashion models live fast – and die fast.
That’s the trend afflicting models in the West, where two up-and-coming names – Alaskan model Ambrose Olsen and Colombian supermodel and television presenter Lina Marulanda – killed themselves last month.
Olsen, 24, hanged himself in New York on April 22. He was featured in many big-name campaigns, such as for Hugo Boss and Louis Vuitton.
On the same day, Marulanda, 29, jumped off the sixth-floor balcony of her Bogota, Colombia, apartment and died.
They’re not the only ones.
South Korean model Daul Kim, 20, who modelled for leading designers such as Chanel and Alexander McQueen (who hanged himself in his London home in February), hanged herself in her Paris apartment in November last year.
Uruguayan model Luisel Ramos, 20, died of heart failure caused by anorexia nervosa at a fashion show during Fashion Week in Uruguay in 2006, and her 18-year-old sister, Eliana, died six months later, apparently from a heart attack related to malnutrition.
Modelling agencies and models in Singapore say there is little fear of the trend reaching the industry here, as it is not as competitive or cut-throat as those in cities like New York, Paris or Milan.
But they warn that models do face pressures that can have an impact on their mental health.
Top Singaporean model Serena Kim Adsit, who has worked in Taiwan and Thailand, said models constantly face comparisons to others who are prettier, taller and slimmer.
A model has to constantly put in time and effort to maintain her looks and physique, said Ms Adsit, 31, who was a The New Paper New Face finalist in 1995 and the Female Model of the Year in 2002. She began modelling in 1995, at the age of 17.
Mr Watson Tan, director of UpFront Models and Production, said models here have to go through constant rejection, which can sometimes be brutal.
He recalled a casting two years ago, where a client tore up the composite card of a model right in front of her when she did not make the cut.
Models, especially those who do not get enough jobs, feel the pressure and need to perform, said Mr Tan, who has both international and home-grown models signed to his company.
But a young girl who attains overnight fame might easily burn out and not be able to cope with the pressure, he said. Ms Adsit noted that the industry constantly looks for young girls, and can hire those as young as 13.
Ms Jane Liong, director of Carrie Models International, added that models are public figures, and the more successful a model is, the more people they have to please. Thus, the greater the desire to project a perfect image, she said.
Full-time model Mika Nur Faezah, 25, who is with modelling agency Jeffrey Chung Models, said she has experienced difficulties such as jealousy from others and gossip. These are common occurrences, said the model, who has worked in Hong Kong and Malaysia.
Suicide has never crossed her mind, but she has felt tired and upset, and she does feel the urge to give up at times, she said.
Mr Nicholas Gabriel Lim, executive director of psychological-services provider iGROW, said one of the most probable reasons for suicides in the modelling scene could be bipolar depression, in which a person experiences mood swings, from extreme euphoria to extreme sadness.
The adrenalin rush and excitement of being in the spotlight, coupled with loneliness when they are away from the limelight, could amplify the mood swings, he said.
The stress, pressure and sleep deprivation associated with the job could also lead to mental illness, especially for younger models who have not developed effective coping strategies, he added.
Mr Jeffrey Chung, director of Jeffrey Chung Models, is worried that a suicide trend may develop here as the Singapore fashion scene grows.
More educational campaigns and help groups could be set up to assist young models in despair, he said.
>> Gone too soon
