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.

She modeled for the covers of Elle (France), Vogue (Poland) and Vogue (Russia).

Korshunova 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.

She walked for such prestigious designers as Ready to Wear, Boyd, Isabel Marant, Kenzo, Miki Fukai, Paul Smith, Preen, Alice Roi, Benjamin Cho, Betty Jackson, Cacharel, Catherine Malandrino, Clements Ribeiro, Eley Kishimoto, Emma Cook, Habitual, Jeffrey Chow, Jenny Packham, Jill Stuart, Kenzo, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Margaret Howell, Milly by Michelle Smith, Nicole Farhi, Paul Smith, Peter Jensen, United Bamboo, Zucca, Ann-Sofie Back, Antonio Marras, Aquascutum, Basso & Brooke, Betsey Johnson, Blugirl, Carlo Alberto, Cat Swanson, FrostFrench, Future Classics, Ghost, Holly Kristen, Iisli, Jennifer Nicholson, Jessica Ogden, Jojo & Malou, Libertine, Liz McLean, Matthew Earnest, Maurizio Pecoraro, Myself, Nanette Lepore, Naum, Rachel Comey, Thakoon, Venexiana, Willow, Y-3, A La Disposition, Anait Bian, Araks, Cynthia Steffe, DKNY, Jasmin Shokrian, Jason Wu, Keanan Duffty, Michiko Koshino, Nanette Lepore, Agnes B, Bill Blass, Blugirl, Cynthia Rowley, John Richmond, Lela Rose, Marchesa, Marithe + Francois Girbaud, MaxMara, and Yigal Azrouel.

Death

Korshunova died around 2:30 p.m. on June 28, 2008, in a fall from a building on Water Street, in Manhattan's Financial District, the newspapers reported. Eyewitnesses said they saw her jump on Saturday. Local media quoted police sources saying there were no traces of violence in her apartment, and that everything looked like suicide.

One of her friends, who has spoken with The New York Post, said that Ruslana Korshunova had just returned from a modeling gig in Paris. He noted that she seemed to be "on top of the world" and there is no apparent reason why she would commit suicide. 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?"