Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. FILTER Showing 23 products Cashmere Folk Fair Isle Jumper 495 259 The mansion was purchased by her ex-partner and the father of her children, Sergei Pugachev, 57, who was once dubbed 'the Kremlins banker' and was close to Vladimir Putin but fell into disfavour and was labelled a traitor by the Russian president. This house is a family home, says Alexandra Tolstoy of the beautiful six-bedroom Chelsea residence she converted from two adjacent artists studios. However, after allowing White Russians to meet in her Moscow home, she was arrested five times by the Bolsheviks and in 1920 was sent to prison for a year. It was my friends dream to do it and I hooked onto it. Featuring our stunning jumbo cord overshirt and trousers, silk blouses and folk print dress, this collection is your one stop shop to style her fairy tale inspired Fair Isle jumper and tank top. Her travel business leading expeditions through the former Russian empire is on hold at the moment because of coronavirus and she has no help from Pugachev. It was the love story of my life, and it did feel dangerous he was this very powerful person, and he did turn on me sometimes in the early days, but there was this drama of winning him back round; I didnt realise that this was all very dangerous abusive pattern., Alexandra believes Sergei spun a false narrative to malign her and distract from his own culpability for the disastrous failure of his business interests; particularly, Sergei blames his downfall on the fact that Putin supposedly disliked his marriage to a foreigner, which she frustratedly contests: Its a very narcissistic thing to do; he made up this whole narrative [in the documentary] which suited its all about belittling me, and by saying that particularly to his close family it gave them a narrative that it was my fault that everything had gone wrong for him; he blamed it on me, saying that Putin didnt like me. My mother comes from a big family of seven and they made all their own clothes, bread and yoghurt. Enjoy browsing and do email us if you have any questions! organisation He appointed her as executor of his will, a task she had to undertake in 1910. I have great synergy with Emma so as a three we were prefect. I just had to pack my suitcase and I could go.'. Wed been educated in very different ways. A superficial browse of Alexandras delightfully aesthetic Instagram page evokes the traditional rural cottage idyll; her three young children in shorts and little leather shoes reading or playing outside; carrying a roast goose to a carefully-decorated table for supper in a candle-lit dining room; nursing a cup of tea on a rocking chair beside the aga. Wardrobes full of couture, endless priceless jewels and never-ending shopping trips. Now free to raise them in a lifestyle similar to that of her own childhood, they wont be familiar with the world of Russian high-society which had caused such anguish for their mother: though it remains that their father, who they havent seen in four years since his escape to France, remains in the top three of the Kremlin hit list. Three North European decorated and painted lidded jars, mid-19th century. Alexandra Tolstoy wearing a Dolce & Gabbana dress now listed for 290 on her website Credit: Courtesy of Alexandra Tolstoy 'I wanted to cleanse that whole phase of my life and get back to. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. The Russian Orthodox cross is a staple of Ms Tolstoy's apparel. He voiced the crocodile in my childrens favourite Soviet cartoon, Cheburashka, so its like hes in our home. The interior and collection speaks not only of her love of the traditional English country house, but also of her Russian family heritage, innate personal sense of style and a strong desire to create a special home for her children. In 2009, our rst child was born. Inside the sad decline of 'Fairy Floss Girl': How the racegoer who shot to fame when Kyle Sandilands gushed that Waleed Aly and Sarah Harris issue a grovelling apology on The Project after backlash for laughing along with Man dies 'after being shot at home': Police Scotland hunt 'gunman' as they appeal for information. Alexandra Tolstoy's Instagram: @alexandratolstoy Simon Brown 1/8 Two rows of botanical prints and antique celadon vases on plinths help to break up the height of this lofty, light-filled space on the first floor. Alexandra is cheerfully conversational, and I congratulate her on the release of the recent BBC documentary about her and her husbands complex relationship (The Countess and the Russian Billionaire); its hard not to be compelled by the remarkable situation of her marriage to one of the worlds richest men, and we soon discuss the astonishing details: While living in London with Sergei, the couple became aware of surveillance placed upon them by the Russian state; Sergeis security company found GPS trackers planted under their cars (which were initially suspected to be explosive devices), including the car used exclusively by Alexandra and the children. It completely goes when you can buy it all and who doesnt love a bargain? Earlier that day, she proudly tells me, shed found wonderful vintage Hungarian fabrics and embroidery to re-use for the childrens little wooden caravan, making curtains: thats just so rewarding. You can still enjoy your subscription until the end of your current billing period. After nearly 11 years, however, Tolstoy is moving on from the home she has so lovingly put together, and is now offering some of its contents for sale at Christie's. VASLII BEREZHNOI. Shes kept a few special pieces. It also serves as such a wonderful background any colour works against it., Christies Online Magazine delivers our best features, videos, and auction news to your inbox every week, Of the dedicated Christies online sale she says, I would love these pieces to go to people who really appreciate them and love them. The self-described "Anglo-Russian adventurer" has travelled by horse and camel (yes, you read that right) for nine months on the Silk Road across central Asia to China, hosted a BBC TV . We became addicted to travelling in this way. The industry is completely different now. personalising content and ads, providing social media features and to They will say I am old fashioned, but I am afraid for this country, because of lack of religion among the young ones, drugs, immorality and the shamelessness of youth.[4], For her present-day distant cousin of the same name, see, Last edited on 31 December 2022, at 00:52, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Alexandra Tolstoy, at 90, Is Honored for Lifetime of Helping Others, "What Today's Youth Can Learn From the Great Russian Writer Leo Tolstoy", Oral history interview with Alexandra Tolstoy 1966, Picture of Alexandra Tolstoy in Valley Cottage, Saint Sergius Learning Center founded in association with Tolstoy Foundation in Valley Cottage, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alexandra_Tolstaya&oldid=1130601922, This page was last edited on 31 December 2022, at 00:52. Featuring our stunning jumbo cord overshirt and trousers, silk blouses and folk print dress, this collection is your one stop shop to style her fairy tale inspired Fair Isle jumper and tank top. Alexandra said: 'It was incredible, he would give me his credit card and I would go shopping, I had a private jet. Stephanie Linning For Mailonline In Once Long Ago, Jenny Robinson invites us to Sonnet for Foxe by Anna Cowan and Ruth Port, Backstage interview: the creatives behind Bare, Oxford, the 15-Minute City, and the Birth of a Lie, NUS referendum voting underway as campaigning intensifies, A varsity society match like no other; an ACS affair. Brora x Alexandra Tolstoy. I went quite street. Xander Haveron-Jones talks with Countess Alexandra on cultivating an aesthetic, the liberation of stylistic reinvention, and her infamous billionaire marriage. But the eventual dramatic unravelling of their liaison was laid bare in a documentary which aired last week on BBC, The Countess and the Russian billionaire. [4] Her father having been excommunicated from the Russian Orthodox Church for his teachings, she commented: .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, I don't believe in everything the Orthodox Church says, I don't believe in miracles, but want the people to go to church. 797 following. The house, which was formed from two artists' studios, was decorated with the help of Daniel Slowik and Emma Burns at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, and was a treasure trove of interesting objects and characterful design. By Marisa Remond Published Feb 17 2019. One Countess's trash is another woman's treasure, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex step out for Hollywood date night at exclusive private members club as Harry announces major live event, In Queen Margrethe II of Denmarks last interview before her extensive surgery, she spoke of the royal title drama and Crown Prince Frederiks future on the throne, The Princess of Wales wears delicate brooch with touching connection to the late Queen, Wearing a Dolce & Gabbana dress in Monaco 2011, During Russian Easter wearing a skirt that is a play on Russian traditional shawls. Countess Alexandra Tolstoy is selling furniture, rugs and personal treasures that decorated the 12million London home she once shared with her Russian billionaire ex. There are many treasured items that I sourced and selected over the years with the expert guidance of decorators at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler. Sergei, who left Russia in 2011, claims that relations between him and Putin cooled, due to his relationship with the Russian leader calling him a 'traitor' for dating 'English woman' Alexandra, the Kremlin tried to seize or destroy his business empire. The next year, I took a trip to Kyrgyzstan, which is better suited to riding because its mountainous and beautiful, and the horses are wonderful. [7] She worked as a lecturer on Tolstoy and as a Russian teacher,[6] and was supported by Japanese literary and academic circles. Theyre just beautiful and Ill pass them on to my daughter. Id never felt like that ever before, I was normally quite confident about the way I dressed., Her first taste of the oligarch life soon followed.That evening, President Sarkozy was giving a friend of Sergeis the Legion d'Honneur, and there was a party at the Elysee Palace, and obviously I couldnt go in my jeans and Uggs. Countess Alexandra (Sasha) Lvovna Tolstaya (Russian: ; 18 June 1884 26 September 1979), often anglicized to Tolstoy, was the youngest daughter and secretary of the noted Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy. George Smart, A pair of Regency cut-felt collage pictures of The Goose Woman and Old Bright The Postman of Frant, c. 1820. Its so original and different. I very much hope that these pieces will find a new home and be equally enjoyed.'. In the autumn, she held a sale at her house and gave proceeds to a charity which supports underprivileged children and adults with autism living in St. Petersburg, who she says are completely unsupported by the state. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. But it wasnt really me. Just that morning, shed been contacted by a friend who was a yacht broker, who was sad to see the couples old yacht on the charter market, but Alexandra felt no loss: I thought to myself its amazing I literally miss nothing about that lifestyle planes, boats, trains, automobiles, houses: nothing.. But my father encouraged me to read and, as a teenager, I read a lot of Leo Tolstoy Im a relative of the writer as well as Lermontov, Chekhov, Dostoevsky and Turgenev. Collect, curate and comment on your files. But I like nice things and comforts, and I find nothing difficult about camping. The oligarch fled to France, where he remains, and was sentenced to two years in his absence by a High Court judge in 2016 for breaching court orders relating to hundreds of millions in allegedly stolen cash. My brother is called Dmitri and I wouldnt pronounce his name because I was so embarrassed. Alexandra is passionate about Russia; her lifestyle, home and wardrobe reflect as such. She had - still has - the English Rose looks to match; subtly tanned from hours of outdoor pursuits, rosy cheeks and often wearing her blonde hair in Heidi plaits or tied up with a scarf. Its the kind of fashion scenario dreams are made of, isnt it? university Indeed, she has attracted such a sartorial following that last year, when she decided to sell some of the pieces from her former life, the interest was sizeable, prompting the Countess to launch a new online pre-loved fashion business, Preloved by Alexandra Tolstoy. I obviously didnt have a very big budget, but when I lived in Russia, there was this amazing flea market on the outskirts of Moscow and I used to go at the weekend and hunt for antiques. Back then, people heard about the trips by word of mouth. She died in 1979 at age 96. Offered in Alexandra Tolstoy: An Interior by Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, 4-25 November, Online, If you have that rapport and that friendship, you can understand the living space, says Slowik. He was in a public dispute with Vladimir Putin, so it was dangerous for us to visit Russia for a long time. I slightly lost myself thinking [the Pugachev-era clothes] were beautiful and actually its extraordinary how your vision can get warped and distorted. If I look at my children, theyre incredibly curious about a lot of things Im not sure their peers would be curious about my oldest son is obsessed with carnivorous plants, and the middle one is making things all the time I think that, somehow, that aesthetic they sort of go hand-in-hand. The sale runs until November 25 on christies.com. The Italian models of buildings in Pisa worked in perfect harmony amongst the photos on this table. We camp and sometimes people have reservations about that. Alexandra Tolstoy Alexandra Tolstoy is an Anglo-Russian mother, adventurer, author and TV presenter. Their gilded life of globe trotting with a small army of staff evaporates as Pugachev falls out of favour with Putin, eventually holing up at his chateau in the South of France with Tolstoy and their three children, Aliosha, Ivan, and Maria, left to fend for themselves. Tolstoy has also partnered with Ampersand Travel to curate boutique tours of Russia, and garnered a loyal following across her trio of Instagram accounts. Tolstoy is the daughter of Count Nikolai Tolstoy and Georgina Brown. I started Preloved by Alexandra Tolstoy with a friend we sell second-hand designer items via Instagram by doing this huge sale of my own clothes. Other pieces currently available on the site include an Oscar de la Renta scallop-edged dress (200), a tweed Celine mini dress (390) and Alaa wool dress (450). I was fascinated to know whether, in a contrary sense, this had prepared her and the children for lockdown, as shed already become so accustomed to feeling great isolation, especially in their French chteau, which was sort of isolation anyway. Oxford Student Publications Limited Estimate: 2,000-3,000. After visiting Sergei at their chteau in France, where he was physically violent towards her, locked their passports in a safe and smashed her mobile phone, Alexandra managed to return with the children to the UK and now lives between her small country cottage in Oxfordshire and their London townhouse, which she was forced to sell in a deal with the Russian authorities (though thankfully can remain in residence each month until it sells). Id only been to France on holiday, I didnt speak Russian and all my friends were on gap years in Thailand and India. Tolstoy was educated at Downe House, [2] and then studied for a Master of Arts degree in Russian at the University of Edinburgh, during the course of which she spent a year in Russia. Sergei, who left Russia in 2011, claims that after relations between him and Putin cooled, the Kremlin tried to seize or destroy his business empire. Fly to Bishkek with Aeroflot (aeroflot.com). Alexandra Tolstoy and "Lucky Diamond" arrives at the fourth annual Paws for Style fundraiser hosted by Animal Fair Magazine May 1, 2003 in New York. I just called him the baby. To say Alexandra Tolstoy has lived a colourful life is somewhat of an understatement. In 2018, I returned after eight years away. Within months, Tolstoy and was pregnant with Sergei's child. An eclectic selection of furniture and objets dart will also be offered everything from a trio of decorated and painted lidded jars from the mid-19th century to a mid-20th-century English oak and brass desk. The Russian authorities froze his assets, put him on Interpol's wanted list and obtained a court order in Britain forcing him to hand over his passports. Pugachev once owned two major shipyards, the world's biggest mine and large chunks of real estate in Moscow and St Petersburg, as well as the Mezhprombank, which he co-founded in the 1990s. Countess Alexandra Tolstoy is the daughter of Count Nikolai Tolstoy-Miloslavsky, the current head of the noble House of Tolstoy, distantly related to Leo Tolstoy, and the separated wife of Sergei Pugachev, a Russian oligarch who was once worth $15 billion and was amongst Putin's inner circle. Sunday February 09 2020, 12.01am GMT, The Sunday Times. Before this, she was quite the adventurer, having made documentaries with the BBC about her horseback expeditions, and trekking 8,000 kilometres on horse and camel across the Silk Road in 1999. In her judgment jailing him, Mrs Justice Rose noted he does have a genuine fear that his life is in danger from agents of the Russian state. Shes a pin-up for authentic prairie chic. She grew up in Oxfordshire before going to Edinburgh University to study philosophy. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. The aristocratic beauty, 46, and her three children,Alexei, Ivan and Maria, were evicted from the south London mansion during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic after reportedly being given just 12 days notice by the Russian government, who repossessed the property. I thought I had to be someone else, I thought I had to be like those girls. Tolstaya became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1941, abandoning the use of the title of countess. Check if your Please, The subscription details associated with this account need to be updated. "Decorative, colourful, comfortable, quirky, full of pattern and informal," is how Daniel describes the aesthetic. Countess Alexandra Tolstoy, an aristocratic English woman, had her own fairy tale come true when she fell in love with the man of her dreams in 2008, an oligarch and one of Russia's richest. Though Alexandra Tolstoy hadn't her own family she had many relatives in Sweden, France, Soviet Russia and in the United States. I think those prepared me more than anything, really., But, when Alexandra had first met Sergei, shed recently ended an unhappy marriage and fell very much in love with the oligarch, despite the potential risk involved with someone so closely linked to the elite levels of Communist politics: I was obviously a thrill-seeker; I loved an adventure and I loved the feeling of adrenaline and excitement. 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