For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the Settings & Account section. Energetic all her life, with a remarkable calmness of spirit, Alexandra Tolstoy lived at the TF Center in Valley Cottage, New York. I very much hope that these pieces will find a new home and be equally enjoyed.'. 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. Soon after, Tolstoy a distant relative of the novelist Leo Tolstoy called on Slowik, who was then head of the firms antiques department, to transform what she describes as a white shell into an incredible home. Tolstoy is the daughter of Count Nikolai Tolstoy and Georgina Brown. I have a lot of energy. Sunday February 09 2020, 12.01am GMT, The Sunday Times. She says that every day is difficult, and I often dont sleep at night its that philosophy of dust yourself down, and carry on trying I dont ever stop putting myself out there and trying., In the past year, Alexandras rebuilt her travel company, which she founded before the marriage, built a fashion business, which Im told is going well, and been writing for lots of magazines; shes even made amicable progress with the Russian state, and has since returned without threat But it seems to me that her greatest solace in the idyll shes struggled to provide for her children: theyve got this big pond, and a rowing boat, and a little caravan, and a wigwam, and is rescued by the stillness of the country. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. He also claims 'credible attempts' had been made on his life in the UK. If youd like to retain your premium access and save 20%, you can opt to pay annually at the end of the trial. Its a very visually stimulating religion., A Russian painted pine model of the Trinity Monastry of St. Sergius, c. 1900. 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. In 1901, at the age of seventeen, she became his secretary. The Tale of Alexandra Tolstoy. I wanted it to be really comfortable not to be stilted and too formal. The pair met whilst travelling along the Silk Road on horse in 1999. But really shes happiest in clothes which reflect her passion for tradition, craft and travel, mixing Hungarian textiles repurposed by Eponine London with Romanian shawls found on Etsy and Broras British knitwear. I think I first met Daniel two days before giving birth to my first child, she muses. Enjoy browsing and do email us if you have any questions! I remember the first time I arrived in Paris in jeans and a pair of Ugg boots. Like a haven from the outside world.. After the Silk Road journey, he, a friend and I went to Mongolia with only packhorses. 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. Since then Tolstoy has launched a number of projects, among them an online pre-loved fashion business and The Tolstoy Edit, an online platform where she shares her style secrets for the worlds of fashion, interiors and travel. Premium access for businesses and educational institutions. Alexandra said: 'The sale of the interiors from my Chelsea townhouse at Christies London marks a new chapter in my life. Influenced by Alexandra's Russian heritage and many years of travel on horse across Central Asia, The Tolstoy Edit embraces folk traditions and craftsmanship with their love of colour, pattern and texture. "Decorative, colourful, comfortable, quirky, full of pattern and informal," is how Daniel describes the aesthetic. Shop Alexandra TolstoysPreloved edit here, For more news, analysis and advice from The Telegraph's fashion desk,click hereto sign up to get our weekly newsletter, straight to your inbox every Friday. Leo Tolstoy with his daughter Alexandra Lvovna Tolstaya But even more interesting to me is the life of his youngest surviving daughter Alexandra Tolstaya (1884-1979). By Countess Alexandra Tolstoy. 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 Christies. analyse how our Sites are used. 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 just called him the baby. I gave 20% of what I made to a charity in St Petersburg for children with autism. Until then, dressing up for Tolstoy had been more about style and craftsmanship than touring designer boutiques. The Russian Orthodox cross is a staple of Ms Tolstoy's apparel. 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 Putins inner circle. Alexandra Tolstoy's fairytale Oxfordshire cottage The owner of this Oxfordshire cottage was determined to stay true to its roots, and, with the help of her designer, has created a traditional interior that incorporates and complements her collection of antiques 1 July 2021 It felt great to be giving something back to Russia and also like I was shedding a skin and really embarking back on my old and true path through life.. Showing Editorial results for alexandra tolstoy. Wearing Alex Gore Browne knitwear Alexandra Tolstoy As well as her own pre-loved pieces, there are also bargains from some of her fashionable friends, including Cond Nast Traveller's fashion director Martha Ward and chic interiors store owner Alex Eagle. 111k Followers, 797 Following, 1,514 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from ALEXANDRA TOLSTOY (@alexandratolstoy) alexandratolstoy. 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. 797 following. I led them, with Shamil, from Bukhara to Samarkand, and it was a success. Discover the magic of fairy tales, Fair Isle and Scottish cashmere in our latest collaboration with explorer, writer, and broadcaster Alexandra Tolstoy. The industry is completely different now. Tolstoy first met Sergei, then a Russian senator and trusted friend of Putin who had separated from his wife, when asked to give him English lessons while she was living in Moscow with Galimzyanov. With Sergei, I lived in this new Russian way but I hated it. You may change or cancel your subscription or trial at any time online. I think its difficult for anybody in those circumstances to be creative; how can you be original? Alexandra Tolstoy, Sigrid Kirk and Isabella Macpherson attend the Molly Goddard presentation during London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2016 at the BFC. Last year I had a big sale at home of my own stuff from my oligarch years. In the propertys light, lofty rooms, vibrant contemporary pieces sit in happy juxtaposition with 19th-century works of art, fabulous curiosities and treasures from Tolstoys globetrotting adventures. 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. The family moved between an array of properties including a 12million family home in Battersea, a 200-acre country estate in Hertfordshire, and a 40million beachfront villa in St Barts. Alexandra spoke to Jenny Coad. I never failed to fill one. Now, Alexandra has reclaimed her creative autonomy and a certain intellectual freedom which was repressed during her years spent with the billionaire: We all have different tastes, but if our taste isnt reflecting who we are or where we are in life, that lack of harmony can make you feel not very happy. Her Instagram page has allowed her to present her own image to the world, one which she finds to be truly representative, unlike that of the media which is seemingly always speculating. I say how I find so much more satisfaction in accumulating individuals pieces and creating ones own eclectic aesthetic, which she certainly concurs: I totally agree! Offered in Alexandra Tolstoy: An Interior by Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, 4-25 November, Online, Their bedroom was like a little world of its own, full of imagination and toys and pictures and books, she says. Now I embrace embroidery, vintage Fair Isle knitwear from eBay and clothes by the Russian designer Russmotive, which reprints old fabric designs. 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. Image courtesy of Christies, Tolstoys happy working relationship with Slowik dates back more than a decade. She died in 1979 at age 96. In Nice, he was visited by the DIA who demanded repayment of the billion dollar loan and threatened his family, saying they could 'cut off his son's finger and send it back to him.'. Premium Digital includes access to our premier business column, Lex, as well as 15 curated newsletters covering key business themes with original, in-depth reporting. [4], In 1921 she became the director of the Tolstoy museum at Yasnaya Polyana. 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 I like nice things and comforts, and I find nothing difficult about camping. 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. I wanted to cleanse that whole phase of my life and get back to who I really was, she says of her decision to sell off her designer wares. I started the Preloved business originally with the idea of cleansing my own wardrobe, she explains. A German man came up to me after my talk and asked if I could set up a trek for him and 10 of his friends. When I was in Sergeis chteau, he wouldnt really let me do anything anyway. Anne-Jessica Faure, a lawyer for Mr Pugachev, said there has been no court decision establishing financial wrongdoing by him. personalising content and ads, providing social media features and to Now, I can be creative in a totally different way., Alexandra Tolstoy: An Interior by Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler runs 4-25 November, Online, Get the best stories from Christies.com in a weekly email, *We will never sell or rent your information. Alexandra's Russian heritage was also crucial for determining the schemes, and drove much of the eclectic, pattern-filled decoration. I love decorative art - it adds to the layering of a home - and again these were the perfect colours for our home. At the time of writing, there are dresses and jewellery by Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci shoes, Saint Laurent trainers, Hermes scarves and Valentino jackets available to buy. I met the father of my three children, Sergei Pugachev, a banker formerly in Putins inner circle, in 2009. Verified. I commissioned these white sofas to be a base for the many layered cushions that I love and spent many happy hours on them - the perfect spot to retire with friends after a dinner party. 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. Brora x Alexandra Tolstoy. Its so original and different. 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. Being in these places is, to me, the ultimate luxury. She sent a cheque for 5,500 from her last clear out. I went to the Plaza Athenee hotel and I thought, oh my gosh I dont fit in, she tells me over the phone from her parents beautiful Oxfordshire home where she is seeing out the lockdown, and where five star hotels and all the other trappings of her time with Pugachev are now a distant memory. I wandered in and fell totally in love with all these amazing antiques.. He got a prison sentence in the UK so he wont come back. At The Tolstoy Edit, we are happy to share with you our favourite finds for the home; antiques, as well as occasional newer pieces, curated by Alexandra Tolstoy, the adventurer and writer. Its complete freedom. 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. Simon Brown 2/8 Cushions and textiles add colour to the pale linen-covered sofas. Like how she began wearing blingy designer trainers. Alexandra Tolstoy Travel Nicknamed Putins Banker, Pugachev owned a coal mine, shipyards, designer brands and one of Russias largest private banks before a catastrophic fall from favour placed him at number 3 on the Kremlin hit list. You may also opt to downgrade to Standard Digital, a robust journalistic offering that fulfils many users needs. Xander Haveron-Jones talks with Countess Alexandra on cultivating an aesthetic, the liberation of stylistic reinvention, and her infamous billionaire marriage. In 2018, I returned after eight years away. 894646. 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. I slightly lost myself thinking [the Pugachev-era clothes] were beautiful and actually its extraordinary how your vision can get warped and distorted. Standard Digital includes access to a wealth of global news, analysis and expert opinion. VASLII BEREZHNOI. The pinnacle of Tolstoys new fashion life was dressing for Prince Albert of Monacos wedding in July 2011, an occasion which called for two new couture dresses: a yellow Fifties-style Princess Grace look dress by Giambattista Valli for the day ceremony, followed by Valentino for the evening. Within a year of meeting, they had a baby and another on the way, and were living a life of luxury in London, Moscow and Paris. He appointed her as executor of his will, a task she had to undertake in 1910. 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. Theyre really works of art, some things I didnt do totally wrong.. ", "The long rug woven by Colefax - the most timeless pattern with colours that work with anything and it was the most fabulous setting for all the colourful furniture and textiles in our home. We had unusual hanging space in Glebe Place - the huge windows meant there wasnt much wall space but what we did have was a big open wall and needed something on a similar scale. 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. 2023 - All Rights Reserved There are many treasured items that I sourced and selected over the years with the expert guidance of decorators at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler. It is also incredibly practical - it doesnt slip on the wooden floor and my children played on it everyday! 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. 2023 Getty Images. As the eldest of author and historian Count Nikolai Tolstoy and his wife Georginas four children, her childhood in the countryside was as wholesome, homespun and Mitfordian U as they come. I love this because its on a grand scale but informal and pretty too - I chose antiques that work in modern as well as traditional interiors, and this is a prime example. But I will never go to France. 111K followers. Alexandra Tolstoy: An Interior by Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler selling online at Christie's from 4 25 November, The comments below have not been moderated, By Tolstoy is alluding to the discomfort which these indulgences eventually came to signify for her, leading her away from her instinctive style and appreciation for tradition towards a struggle to fit in and conform to being the sort of woman Pugachev and his circle expected. It was so enriching and fabulous.. I felt like Bridget Jones, so awkward. Estimate: 1,000-2,000. Riding the length of the Silk Road in 1999, from the . It was quite a dramatic change from not wanting to be Russian to being proud of my heritage. 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. Please, She married an Uzbek horseman and rode the length of the Silk Road; lived the oligarch lifestyle with Putins banker; and now leads intrepid group tours of the Stans, A Kyrgyz camp in Naryn region, Kyrgyzstan, Yasnaya Polyana, Leo Tolstoys former redoubt. Theyre just beautiful and Ill pass them on to my daughter. Shortly before her birth, Leo had almost stopped writing novels . Her 1999 trek along the Silk Road by horse and camel is perhaps the most documented. She picks up the telephone, and I can hear the excited chatter of the children who are going into the sitting room to be read a Just William story by their grandfather. 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