num_pages: 416
description:  A riveting inspiring memoir of one woman's escape from an extremist religious sect and an extraordinary rise from housewife to shoe designer to CEO and co-owner of the modeling agency Elite World GroupEver 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 dictates 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 he would rule her life. Eventually when Julia's youngest daughter Miriam started to question why she wasn't allowed to sing run or ride a bike Julia 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 that had imprisoned her.So Julia created a double life. When no one was looking she'd sneak looks at fashion magazines and sketch designs for the clothes she dreamed about wearing in the world beyond her orthodox suburb. In the ultra-orthodox world clothing has one purpose: to cover the body head to toe. Giving any thought to one's appearance beyond that is considered sinful an affront to God. She started clandestinely selling life insurance to save her freedom money. At the age of forty-two she finally mustered the courage to flee the fundamentalist life that was strangling her soul.Within a week of her escape Julia started a shoe brand and within nine months she was at Paris for fashion week. A year later she became creative director of La Perla the world-leading lingerie brand. And now she is the co-owner and CEO of Elite World Group and one of the most powerful people in the fashion industry.Propulsive and unforgettable Julia'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.
language: English
title: Brazen: My Unorthodox Journey from Long Sleeves to Lingerie
publisher: Crown