Julia Hart Elite A Remarkable Journey from Orthodox Life to Global Fashion

Who Is Julia Hart Elite

Julia Hart Elite, more widely known as Julia Haart, is an American fashion designer, entrepreneur, author, and television personality whose life story has unfolded across religion, fashion, business, and reality television. Born Yulia Leibov on April 11, 1971, in Moscow, then part of the Soviet Union, she later became one of the most recognizable figures associated with Elite World Group and the Netflix series My Unorthodox Life.

Her early life was shaped by migration and religion. Her family left the Soviet Union when she was about 3 years old and spent time in Austin, Texas, before settling in Monsey, New York, when she was around 11. There, she grew up in an ultra Orthodox Jewish community with strict expectations surrounding education, clothing, family life, gender roles, and religious observance.

I find her story especially striking because her later career seems almost like a mirror image of her childhood. She moved from a world where clothing was tightly regulated to an international fashion career in which clothing became her creative language.

Julia Haart Early Life and Religious Background

Julia Haart was the eldest of eight children, although one of her siblings died in a car accident at age 5. Much of her childhood involved helping care for her younger brothers and sisters while living within a highly structured religious environment.

She attended religious schools, including Bais Yaakov, and later studied at a seminary in Israel. By her own accounts, her formal secular education was limited. She has described a childhood in which many ordinary aspects of modern life, including media, entertainment, fashion, and interactions between men and women, were governed by religious rules.

Around age 18, she adopted the name Talia, partly because she believed a more Hebrew sounding name could improve her prospects within the arranged marriage system.

At 19, she married Yosef Hendler, a yeshiva student several years older than her. The couple eventually had four children. During this period, Haart worked as a Judaic studies teacher and also sold life insurance while raising her family.

Her dissatisfaction with the restrictions surrounding women gradually became stronger. According to her accounts, questions raised by her daughter Miriam became particularly important in forcing her to reconsider the life she had been living.

Leaving the Orthodox Community

Haart left extreme Orthodoxy about 2012 or 2013, at 42. She left with her younger daughter Miriam, starting one of her biggest changes.

The departure went beyond address and clothing. She had to leave her social structure, marriage, extended family, and identity that had molded her adulthood.

Haart called this period emotional. She has also discussed discreetly saving money and preparing for independence while living in the group. She said she weighed 73 pounds when she left.

Personal sacrifice accompanied her choice. Her sister Hannah kept in touch with her when she departed, but most of her parents and siblings stopped.

The story altered her mother-child bond. Each child had to adjust from Orthodoxy to the secular world their mother was entering.

Julia Haart Career in Fashion

After leaving the community, Haart moved rapidly into fashion and entrepreneurship. She launched her own luxury shoe line, creating designs intended to combine style with comfort.

Her approach was unconventional. Instead of treating fashionable footwear as something that had to be painful, she focused on comfort technologies and innovative materials. Her shoes attracted attention quickly, and she presented her work at Paris Fashion Week within months of launching the business.

In 2016, she became Creative Director of La Perla, the Italian luxury lingerie company. The appointment represented a dramatic reversal from her earlier life. A woman who had once lived under strict rules concerning modesty was now helping design luxury lingerie for an international fashion house.

Her career continued to expand when Silvio Scaglia appointed her CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Elite World Group in March 2019.

Julia Haart and Elite World Group

Elite World Group, commonly known as EWG, is a global modeling and talent organization connected with Elite Model Management and other fashion and entertainment businesses.

Under Haart’s leadership, the company promoted a concept often described as “talent as media.” The idea was that models and other talent could build businesses around their own identities, audiences, social-media platforms, and digital content rather than relying solely on traditional modeling contracts.

Her role gave her considerable influence within the fashion and talent industries.

She also became involved with other fashion ventures, including e1972. Her career at EWG, however, became deeply connected to her personal relationship with Scaglia. Their marriage and business partnership eventually collapsed together, leading to years of litigation.

My Unorthodox Life and Julia Haart’s Television Career

In 2021, Julia Haart became the central figure in Netflix’s My Unorthodox Life. The reality series introduced viewers to her family, career, relationships, and transition from Orthodox Judaism to a highly public life in fashion.

The first season premiered in 2021, followed by a second season in 2022.

The program placed her children at the center of the story as well. Their experiences illustrated how leaving an intensely religious environment can affect an entire family rather than just the person who leaves.

For Haart, television also transformed a deeply personal story into a public narrative. Her clothing, relationships, business disputes, parenting, and evolving identity became part of the entertainment landscape.

Julia Haart’s Memoir and Writing Career

Haart expanded her story beyond television with her 2022 memoir, Brazen: My Unorthodox Journey from Long Sleeves to Lingerie.

The book explores her childhood, arranged marriage, religious life, decision to leave, fashion career, motherhood, and personal transformation.

The title itself captures the contrast at the heart of her public identity. “Long sleeves” represent the strict modesty of her earlier life, while “lingerie” represents the fashion world she entered later.

Her memoir became a bestseller and gave her additional space to describe experiences that could only be partially explored in a reality television series.

Julia Haart Family and Children

Family remains one of the most important parts of Julia Haart’s public story. She has four children with Yosef Hendler, and each has developed a different relationship with religion, career, and public life.

Batsheva Haart

Julia’s oldest daughter is Batsheva Haart, born February 27, 1993. Although Orthodox, she married Benn Weinstein at 19.

Around 2021, the couple divorced.

She became a social media star, content developer, accessories designer, and podcaster. Her work focused on fashion, travel, relationships, and lifestyle.

She was notable on My Unorthodox Life, where viewers saw her struggle to move from Orthodoxy to secularism.

Julia’s narrative shows how her decision affects future generations. Batsheva saw more than her mother’s transformation. She was also creating a new self.

Shlomo Haart

Shlomo Haart, born November 11, 1995, is Julia’s eldest son.

He attended Columbia University and has pursued professional interests involving business and law. He has also had connections to Elite World Group.

Compared with his sisters, Shlomo has generally maintained a lower public profile. His story has nevertheless been featured in My Unorthodox Life, particularly around dating, adulthood, Jewish identity, and the challenge of building an independent life after growing up in a highly restrictive environment.

Miriam Haart

Miriam Haart, born January 26, 2000, played an especially important role in Julia’s departure from the Orthodox community.

As a teenager, Miriam questioned restrictions placed on girls and women. Her questions helped Julia confront issues she had been suppressing for years.

Miriam later came out as bisexual and attended Stanford University. She has pursued interests in software engineering, technology, entrepreneurship, podcasting, and women’s empowerment.

Among Julia’s children, Miriam has often appeared as one of the most outspoken about independence and social change.

Aron Haart

Aron Haart, born June 6, 2006, is Julia’s youngest child.

His experience differs from that of his older siblings. After Julia left the community, Aron remained more closely connected to Orthodox Jewish life for a longer period.

Custody and visitation arrangements between Julia and Yosef became an important part of the family’s transition. Aron has generally maintained a more private public profile than his siblings.

His story illustrates one of the most complicated aspects of Julia’s departure: leaving a religious community does not mean every member of a family leaves at the same time.

Julia Haart and Silvio Scaglia

Julia Haart married Italian and Swiss entrepreneur Silvio Scaglia in 2019. Their relationship was closely intertwined with their business lives.

Scaglia had built a career in technology and media and was associated with businesses including Fastweb, La Perla, and Elite World Group.

Their marriage lasted roughly two years before Haart filed for divorce in February 2022.

What followed was a lengthy and highly public legal battle involving marital property, business ownership, financial claims, management control, and alleged transfers of assets. The litigation continued for several years and became one of the defining chapters of Haart’s public life after My Unorthodox Life.

Julia Haart Net Worth

Julia Haart’s estimated net worth is widely reported at around $100 million as of 2026, although an exact figure cannot be established from publicly audited personal financial statements.

Her financial position changed substantially through the divorce proceedings.

Reported awards and assets have included full ownership of Elite World Group, the former couple’s Tribeca penthouse, cash judgments, management fees, and other financial relief. The Tribeca property was reportedly sold for approximately $57 million.

The most important point is that net worth and cash in the bank are not the same thing. A significant portion of Haart’s wealth is connected to business ownership, particularly EWG, whose precise current valuation is not publicly established.

Julia Haart’s Life After Divorce

The divorce proceedings reached their final stage in September 2026, bringing an end to approximately four years of litigation.

Haart emerged with reported ownership of 100 percent of Elite World Group along with other financial awards. The settlement and associated court rulings also marked a major shift in her professional independence.

The period following the divorce has been presented as a new chapter for Haart. She has spoken about focusing on her children, business interests, fashion, and personal projects.

She has also indicated that she does not intend to remarry. Her children remain a central part of her life, and she has described any future relationship as something that would need their approval.

Julia Haart’s Business and Body Positive Projects

In addition to her work in fashion and media, Haart has developed projects focused on shapewear and body confidence.

Her brand, known as +Body by Julia Haart and also referred to as Body by Julia, reflects a broader evolution in her approach to fashion. Rather than viewing clothing only as a symbol of beauty or status, she has emphasized technology, comfort, fit, and confidence.

This fits naturally into the larger story of her career. Footwear, lingerie, shapewear, television, and talent management may appear to be separate worlds, but they share a common thread: control over how people present themselves.

Julia Haart’s Family Legacy

Multiple generations and vastly distinct cultures make the Haart family story unique.

Julia was raised Orthodox Jewish after leaving the Soviet Union. She married young, had four children, and left that neighborhood in her early 40s.

Her children grew up between worlds. Batsheva joined social media and fashion. Shlomo studied and worked. Miriam entered advocacy and technology. Aron was more Orthodox.

Their approaches demonstrate that there was no singular “Haart experience.” Each family member interpreted the past differently and chose what to keep.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Julia Hart Elite?

Julia Hart Elite is commonly referring to Julia Haart, the American fashion designer, entrepreneur, author, and television personality associated with Elite World Group and Netflix’s My Unorthodox Life.

What is Julia Haart’s real name?

She was born Yulia or Julia Leibov. During her years in the Orthodox community, she used names including Talia Leibov and Talia Hendler. She later became professionally known as Julia Haart.

When was Julia Haart born?

Julia Haart was born on April 11, 1971, in Moscow, then part of the Soviet Union.

How many children does Julia Haart have?

Julia Haart has four children with her first husband, Yosef Hendler. They are Batsheva, Shlomo, Miriam, and Aron.

Who is Julia Haart’s eldest daughter?

Her eldest daughter is Batsheva Haart, born February 27, 1993. She is known for her work as a social media creator, influencer, podcaster, and lifestyle personality.

Who is Miriam Haart?

Miriam Haart is Julia Haart’s daughter, born January 26, 2000. She attended Stanford University and has pursued technology, software engineering, entrepreneurship, podcasting, and women’s empowerment initiatives.

Who was Julia Haart married to?

Julia Haart was first married to Yosef Hendler and later married entrepreneur Silvio Scaglia in 2019. She filed for divorce from Scaglia in February 2022.

What is Julia Haart’s net worth?

Julia Haart’s net worth is commonly estimated at approximately $100 million in 2026. The exact figure is uncertain because much of her wealth is connected to privately held business interests.

Does Julia Haart own Elite World Group?

Following the final stages of her divorce proceedings in September 2026, Haart was awarded 100 percent ownership of Elite World Group according to reported court outcomes.

What is Julia Haart famous for?

Julia Haart is best known for her transformation from life in an ultra Orthodox Jewish community into a career in fashion and business, her leadership role at Elite World Group, her Netflix series My Unorthodox Life, and her memoir Brazen: My Unorthodox Journey from Long Sleeves to Lingerie.

What happened to Julia Haart’s first marriage?

Julia Haart’s marriage to Yosef Hendler ended after she left the Orthodox community. They share four children and continued to navigate parenting and custody arrangements after their separation.

Does Julia Haart plan to remarry?

Haart has publicly indicated that she does not currently plan to remarry. She has emphasized her relationship with her children and her focus on the next stage of her personal and professional life.

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