Seven-Year-Old Jewish Girl Offers to Model for Zara Boys
Image by Jess Brichto
Eliza Brichto dreams of modeling for Zara kidswear. But the seven-year-old girl doesn’t want to be photographed in dresses or skirts. Brichto has written a letter to the European fashion brand asking to model for the boys’ line.
Brichto, who is the granddaughter of the late Rabbi Sidney Brichto, former head of the Liberal Judaism movement in the United Kingdom, wrote in her letter: “You might think that it’s quite weird that a girl wears boy clothes but anyway let me tell you the story. When I was four I looked at Zara girls and I wasn’t really sure about the girls’ clothes, but then I had a little look at the boys’ clothes and loved them. I’m your number one fan, please accept my offer for me being a model for Zara boys.”
Along with the handwritten letter, she included photographs of her wearing her favorite outfits from the boys’ clothing line.
Brichto’s mother, Jess, told the Jewish Chronicle, “I didn’t think she would do it, kids say all sorts of things. But then she came to me off her own back with a letter written. I had to send it.”
Weeks after sending the letter, Zara called and invited Brichto to visit their headquarters in Spain. The Brichto family, who live in South-East London and attend St. John’s Wood Liberal Synagogue, plan to travel to Spain this weekend, where Eliza will make an attempt to persuade the company to hire her.
Mrs. Brichto says of her daughter, “She is not afraid of what people think and she is brave enough to speak out about the things that are important to her. Who knows what will happen at the meeting, but what she has achieved already is amazing.”
Contact Haley Cohen at [email protected]
A message from our editor-in-chief Jodi Rudoren
We're building on 127 years of independent journalism to help you develop deeper connections to what it means to be Jewish today.
With so much at stake for the Jewish people right now — war, rising antisemitism, a high-stakes U.S. presidential election — American Jews depend on the Forward's perspective, integrity and courage.
— Jodi Rudoren, Editor-in-Chief
