It has been 10 days since the tragic passing of model Tales Soares. Soares, also known as Tales Cotta in the fashion industry, suddenly collapsed at the Ocksa show in Sao Paulo. A medical team attended to the 26-year-old but he was pronounced dead later at hospital.

The audience initially thought he was falling as part of an act, as Soares had long laces completing his ensemble but, curiosity quickly turned to horror as he began foaming from the mouth. An autopsy is pending to confirm the actual cause of death.

Friends and family have commented – that he was extremely healthy, physically fit and never took drugs. An advocate for the LGBT community, he would often post supportive messages on his social media. Organizers for the event posted this on Twitter: “We are sorry for this loss and give our sincere apologies to Tales’ family.”

While the fashion industry mourns, Soares’ death has put a spotlight on the way models are treated. The image of runway models has been likened to looking anorexic, and the pressure put on body image in the fashion industry is second to none. The priority has to be welfare, both physical and mental for aspiring models.

By Anuj Datta