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. 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. It was so enriching and fabulous.. Ive entertained in this house a lot, Tolstoy tells Christies during our video shoot at Glebe Place earlier in the year. 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. I lost myself, I lost my confidence. Tolstoys future might be uncertain but whatever it brings, shes bound to do it in her own inimitable style. Many of them met at the "Aunt Sasha" 90th anniversary in 1974. 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. When he fled to France in 2015, I ultimately felt such relief. Estimate: 1,000-2,000. She was born on July 1, 1883, at her parents' Russian estate, Yasnaya Polyana, in Tula province, about 130 miles south of Moscow. The pair met whilst travelling along the Silk Road on horse in 1999. I think its difficult for anybody in those circumstances to be creative; how can you be original? Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. I feel were moving to a new phase and thats exciting, she says. Countess Alexandra Tolstoy. He claims he is being targeted because of his knowledge of state secrets. The author and broadcaster invites us on a brief tour of the London home she created with interior design firm Colefax & Fowler, introducing some of the beautiful and eclectic items now being offered in a special online sale. Anne-Jessica Faure, a lawyer for Mr Pugachev, said there has been no court decision establishing financial wrongdoing by him. Shortly afterwards I introduced her to Emma for decoration help with other projects globally and the relationship grew and grew. I went on to take groups every year between 2002 and 2009, and was leading a tour the week before my wedding. The industry is completely different now. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. Before she met Sergei, Alexandra was married to a penniless Cossack named Shamil Galimzyanov. [1] [2] [3] Biography [ edit] organisation Pugachev fled to France before the 2016 High Court ruling in a case brought by Russias Deposit Insurance Agency, in which he was sentenced for 12 breaches of court orders connected to a freezing order imposed on him over attempts to recover the cash. My style reflects my journey. 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 . Being in these places is, to me, the ultimate luxury. By If you do nothing, you will be auto-enrolled in our premium digital monthly subscription plan and retain complete access for $69 per month. Among Alexandra's favourite pieces are a pair of white upholstered sofas by Katherine Pooley, which are expected to fetch between4,000-6,000, and two pairs of 20th century Indian palace paintings which are expected to fetch1,000-2,000 a pair. 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. 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. I very much hope that these pieces will find a new home and be equally enjoyed.'. Stephanie Linning For Mailonline, What REALLY happens on The Chase! I led them, with Shamil, from Bukhara to Samarkand, and it was a success. Everything was paid for and clothes were delivered at home. My mother comes from a big family of seven and they made all their own clothes, bread and yoghurt. Countess Alexandra Tolstoy was known for her remarkable calmness and dignity. and other data for a number of reasons, such as keeping FT Sites reliable and secure, [7] She worked as a lecturer on Tolstoy and as a Russian teacher,[6] and was supported by Japanese literary and academic circles. 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. Were Russian Orthodox, which is why we have a lot of icons, Tolstoy explains. 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.. A year later, they met again at an awards ceremony attended by the Russian president. Countess Alexandra Tolstoy whose oligarch ex was known as 'Putin's banker' auctions off 250,000 of antiques that decorated her 12million London home before she was evicted after he fell foul. 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. "Decorative, colourful, comfortable, quirky, full of pattern and informal," is how Daniel describes the aesthetic. He appointed her as executor of his will, a task she had to undertake in 1910. Amid it all she has continued to build her collection of vintage pieces from all corners of the globe. Our relationship was wonderful when we were in the wilds, but in the city it was just awful and unhappy. Her 1999 trek along the Silk Road by horse and camel is perhaps the most documented. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. I telephone Alexandra on a sunny afternoon during lockdown, which she is spending at her parents house with the children; suffering from asthma, she thinks it safer to be with other adults, just in case. We became addicted to travelling in this way. [1][2][3], The youngest daughter of Leo Tolstoy (18281910) and of his wife Sophia (18441919), Alexandra was close to her father. This week, the contents of the latter are on sale at Christie's as she moves out into a new home (the progress of which we've been avidly following on Instagram). I was inspired to begin leading trips again, and they start this June. Throughout my life, all the bad things that have happened have spurred me on. [7], In 1931 she left Japan and settled in the United States, where she gave lectures and worked as a chicken farmer. The two are not mutually exclusive. 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. Alexandra is passionate about Russia; her lifestyle, home and wardrobe reflect as such. Reading Russian literature gave me a greater understanding of the Russian character. Estimate: 2,000-2,500. By 2015, he was dividing his time between France and the family home in London and reputed to be number 3 on Kremlin's hitlist. Scroll down to see Alexandra's favourite lots. Theyre really works of art, some things I didnt do totally wrong.. Countess Alexandra Tolstoy's Colefax and Fowler interiors are up for sale at Christie's, for Tatler 3rd November 2020 The writer, equestrian and socialite talks to Tatler about the decision to auction off the pieces that made her Chelsea home impossibly chic. It was one of the first pieces that I bought and I bought it for practical reasons as well as aesthetic - its great storage! It was shocking how he had absolutely no clue about finances, about running a company; it was shocking basic accounting, he didnt even understand. 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. Alexandra said: 'The sale of the interiors from my Chelsea townhouse at Christies London marks a new chapter in my life. I remember having a fantasy about feeding the chickens and I would be wearing something really, really pretty.. Its the colours, the texture, the natural ageing of it, she enthuses. 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. Three North European decorated and painted lidded jars, mid-19th century. Countess Alexandra Tolstoy is selling furniture, rugs and personal treasures that decorated the 12million London home she once shared with her Russian billionaire ex. She was born in Poole, Dorset. 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 sale runs until November 25 on christies.com. Its not even like I was that good at riding, recalls Tolstoy of the nine-month, 5,000-mile journey from Merv in Turkmenistan to Xian in China. Any changes made can be done at any time and will become effective at the end of the trial period, allowing you to retain full access for 4 weeks, even if you downgrade or cancel. 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. It was amazing. 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. 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 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. But an experience like that opens your mind. [8], In the summer of 1948, Tolstaya met 18 year old future United States Senator Mike Gravel, who had intended to volunteer for the Israeli forces in a fight to defend the state of Israel, and she allegedly told him to instead "go on back home and finish school", to which he complied. 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. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Those Monaco wedding couture commissions and a tweed Chanel cardigan (they did a Scottish collection which is the kind of thing I love because its all about the countryside, so Ive kept that). Everything weve got I feel is in its own right very unusual and special.. I wanted it to be really comfortable not to be stilted and too formal. Offered in Alexandra Tolstoy: An Interior by Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, 4-25 November, Online. Since the breakdown of her relationship with Sergei Pugachev, who was accused of fraud by the Kremlin in 2015, she has rediscovered her sense of style, favouring pieces that celebrate homegrown traditions and fashions, as evidenced on her popular Instagram account, @alexandratolstoy, where she often documents her wardrobe choices. I suppose that I was not very confident anyway, and I felt I needed to live-up to these very shiny, perfect girls and I was a bit Bridget Jones-like in comparison to them, so felt probably a bit inadequate I shouldve just carried on the way I was I didnt realise, but it accentuated how lost Id become, and it also made me much more dependent on him, so I think he liked it, because it isolated me from my family., She now considers the trappings of her private-jet-chic vulgar, and has since sold almost all that which shes kept, realising bogged down the luxurious tokens of her billionaire lifestyle: The really cathartic moment was last summer I thought I have to sell these ridiculous handbags, I have to sell them because theyre actually quite liquid its money that I can use to pay school fees and I can educate the children I suddenly managed to make myself look at them and think its not really me anyway.. She has also added a section dedicated to her favourite brands - including Pink City Prints, Pioneers and Alex Gore Browne - offering discounts on each with a special code. ", "The pair of white sofas with cushions. Energetic all her life, with a remarkable calmness of spirit, Alexandra Tolstoy lived at the TF Center in Valley Cottage, New York. 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. Theyre just beautiful and Ill pass them on to my daughter. 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. 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. The book details the difficulties she faced living in Russia during and after the revolution. Shes a pin-up for authentic prairie chic. 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. I never failed to fill one. Of course, Id never even set foot in a Chanel shop before, so it was exciting. Back in Russia after that Paris sojourn, we went to the opera in St Petersburg, it was all these oligarchs and their wives. 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She died in 1979, at age 96, and was laid to rest in the Russian cemetery of Spring Valley, New York, USA. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. university After arriving in the UK in 2011, he was accused of siphoning a fortune out of his finance house Mezhprombank. 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. With Sergei, I lived in this new Russian way but I hated it. Some people dont care about aesthetics, but for me, to be creative is really part of my DNA. Alexandra tells me how her appreciation for books and visual arts were completely crushed: I couldnt do anything; the luxury afforded to her nevertheless impeded her fundamental desire to be productive and freedom to explore creatively. He also claims 'credible attempts' had been made on his life in the UK. Discover the magic of fairy tales, Fair Isle and Scottish cashmere in our latest collaboration with explorer, writer, and broadcaster Alexandra Tolstoy. 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. I think that probably this business partner had been the brains, and Sergei had been the power broker, Despite the tumult of threats, financial loss, and romantic decline, complicated with the duty of raising small children, Alexandra seems at harmony with her present situation, and this is thanks to her newly unostentatious lifestyle that of the billionaires wife just didnt suit her: My whole confidence got so smashed when I was with him; he was so very manipulative, very denigrating about my riding, my exhibitions, my travel and so, I began to focus on all these things which a normal kind of oligarchs girlfriend would focus on. 11:17 EST 03 Nov 2020. With the help of Emma Burns and Daniel Slowik of Londons longest established interior decorating firm, Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, the Anglo-Russian author and broadcaster created an interior that was warm, welcoming and a reflection of her unique sense of style. 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