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Eliza Brichto wants to be Zara's newest and youngest model - for boys' clothes
The confident seven-year-old says “I think girls should be allowed to wear what they want and I think boys should wear what they want to.”
February 20, 2018 15:41
The confident seven-year-old says “I think girls should be allowed to wear what they want and I think boys should wear what they want to.”
February 20, 2018 15:41A seven-year-old girl who offered her services as a model to fashion giant Zara has been invited to meet designers at the company’s headquarters in Spain.
But Eliza Brichto does not want to model the label’s clothes for girls —it’s the boys’ outfits she prefers to wear and wants to inspire other girls to do the same.
Eliza, who attends St John’s Wood Liberal Synagogue, said: “My grandma is always trying to dress me up in girls’ clothes but I don’t like them at all. I find boys’ clothes look better on me and they are more comfortable.
“I think girls should be allowed to wear what they want and I think boys should wear what they want to.”
She got in touch with Zara, her favourite fashion brand, at the suggestion of her mother, Jess.
“I didn’t think she would actually do it — kids say all sorts of things,” Mrs Brichto said. “But then she came to me off her own back with a letter written. I had to send it.”
In the letter Eliza, who is the granddaughter of the late Rabbi Sidney Brichto, former head of the Liberal Judaism movement, wrote: “I would like to be a model for Zara boys.
“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 I loved them.
“Now the only place I go clothes shopping is Zara boys. I’m your number one fan, please accept my offer for me being a model for Zara boys.”
She included photographs of her wearing her favourite outfits from the boys’ fashion line.
Mrs Brichto, was shocked when, after weeks of hearing nothing, the company called and invited Eliza to Galicia, where the brand is based.
“We didn’t expect to hear anything back. She was so excited,” Mrs Brichto said.
“Eliza has always been her own person. I spent the first few years of her life dressing her up as girly as can be, until she was old enough to have an opinion and told me to stop.
“She didn’t like the girls’ clothes and has always been very into her own style.”
Eliza, who lives with her family in South-East London and attends a school in Deptford, is traveling to Spain with her parents this weekend and has a plan to persuade Zara to hire her.
“I have a hat that says ‘say yes’ on it. It is from Zara and I’m going to wear it to my meeting,” she said
Ms Brichto said: “I’m so proud of her. Until she wrote that letter and it started getting attention in the media I hadn’t really considered the issue.
“She is not afraid of what people think and she is brave enough to speak out about things that are important to her.
“Who knows what will happen at the meeting, but what she has achieved already is amazing.”
