I am delighted to be on the tour for this interesting read.
Shouting about this read:
Ever since she was a child, every aspect of Julia Haart's life - what she wore, what she ate, what she thought - was controlled by the rules of ultra-Orthodox Judaism. At nineteen, after a lifetime spent caring for her seven younger siblings, she was married off to a man she barely knew. For the next twenty-three years, her marriage would rule her life.
Eventually, when Haart's youngest daughter, Miriam, started to innocently question why she wasn't allowed to sing in public, run in shorts, or ride a bike without being covered from neck to knee, Haart reached a breaking point. She knew that if she didn't find a way to leave, her daughters would be forced into the same unending servitude.
So Haart created a double life. In the ultra- Orthodox world, clothing has one purpose - to cover the body, head to toe - and giving any more thought than that to one's appearance is considered sinful, an affront to God. But when no one was looking, Haart would pour over fashion magazines and sketch designs for the clothes she dreamed about wearing in the world beyond her Orthodox suburb. She started preparing for her escape by educating herself and creating a 'freedom' fund. At the age of forty-two, she finally mustered the courage to flee.
Within a week of her escape, Haart founded a shoe brand, and within nine months, she was at Paris Fashion Week. Just a few years later, she was named creative director of La Perla. Soon she would become co-owner and CEO of Elite World Group and one of the most powerful people in fashion. Along the way, her four children - Batsheva, Shlomo, Miriam and Aron - have not only accepted but embraced her transformation.
Propulsive and unforgettable, Haart's story is the journey from a world of 'no' to a world of 'yes', and an inspiration for women everywhere to find their freedom, their purpose and their voice.
Bobs and Books honest review:
I think its fair to say that this is unlike anything I've read before.
This was a huge education for me, as I didn't know anything about the Jewish culture she describes. I found it incredibly surprising, and felt naïve for not having realised this.
I think I preferred the first half to the second due to this being such an unknown environment, although the planning of her escape was tense.
I haven't seen the Netflix series but will definitely be heading over to that next as I feel this will reveal more than the book gets a chance to portray. I was left wanting more.
Brave, inspiring, a learning curve.
About the author:
Julia Haart is the star of the Netflix docuseries My Unorthodox Life.
She is the CEO, co-owner and chief creative officer of Elite World Group, the world's first talent media agency, which is comprised of 48 global agencies representing the most dynamic and culturally connected talent in the world.
She was previously the creative director of La Perla, the luxury Italian intimates brand, and launched her career as a designer with her namesake shoe collection.
Julia lives in Manhattan.
Instagram: @juliahaart.
Out now.