Though Alexandra Tolstoy hadn't her own family she had many relatives in Sweden, France, Soviet Russia and in the United States. Now I embrace embroidery, vintage Fair Isle knitwear from eBay and clothes by the Russian designer Russmotive, which reprints old fabric designs. Among the treasures coming to auction are an impressive group of botanical prints (above) sourced by Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, and a pair of George Smart felt pictures (below) from around 1820 that once hung in the childrens bedroom. She could choose whatever she wanted. I note how impossible it must be to represent oneself in a society where value and status is projected through selfsame designer clothes and modern houses, which is entirely different to the way she represents herself now. 1,514 posts. [1][2][3], The youngest daughter of Leo Tolstoy (18281910) and of his wife Sophia (18441919), Alexandra was close to her father. It was shocking how he had absolutely no clue about finances, about running a company; it was shocking basic accounting, he didnt even understand. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. She tells me that Sergei did have really good taste, but, I was surprised to learn, collected artwork for its style, rather than for the sake of them being expensive pieces., Alexandra seems to be regaining her confidence since the ending of her relationship and peak surveillance a few years ago in the documentary, theres recent footage of her and her children riding scooters to school in the morning, something she never could have done a few years ago. By Marisa Remond Published Feb 17 2019. With Sergei, I lived in this new Russian way but I hated it. Now I embrace embroidery, vintage Fair Isle knitwear from eBay and clothes by the Russian designer Russmotive, which reprints old fabric designs. Her connection to nature and rusticity, a love of . He has previously been declared to be in contempt of court, with a two-year prison sentence left hanging over his head should he return to this country. The Russian Orthodox cross is a staple of Ms Tolstoy's apparel. It was so enriching and fabulous.. They had three children together - Alexei, known as Aliosha, Ivan and Maria. Their relationship ended in 2015. [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. Speaking of their relationship in a documentary that aired this year, Alexandra said: 'When I met Sergei it was electric. Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. Its complete freedom. Please, The subscription details associated with this account need to be updated. Compare Standard and Premium Digital here. Selling her designer clothes and handbags allowed her to start again, and to be herself. I never failed to fill one. I love decorative art - it adds to the layering of a home - and again these were the perfect colours for our home. It was quite a dramatic change from not wanting to be Russian to being proud of my heritage. Alexandra is passionate about Russia; her lifestyle, home and wardrobe reflect as such. 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. Sunday February 09 2020, 12.01am GMT, The Sunday Times. For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the Settings & Account section. It was a real adventure. 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. Clothing: Ring Smart Home Security Systems eero WiFi Stream 4K Video in Every Room: Blink Smart Security for Every Home Neighbors App Real-Time Crime & Safety Alerts Now she still has use of their home in Chelsea, a converted artist studio, but she could be thrown out at any moment by the Russian government. Follow Alexandra Tolstoy and explore their bibliography from Amazon.com's Alexandra Tolstoy Author Page. I speak fluent Russian now, but growing up in the UK my mother is very English and we lived in the countryside I didnt feel at all Russian. Tolstoy is the daughter of Count Nikolai Tolstoy and Georgina Brown. I went on to take groups every year between 2002 and 2009, and was leading a tour the week before my wedding. She grew up in Oxfordshire before going to Edinburgh University to study philosophy. 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. 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. If you do nothing, you will be auto-enrolled in our premium digital monthly subscription plan and retain complete access for $69 per month. 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. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. 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. She is an adventuress who has travelled the Silk Route by horseback and explored different cultures, uniquely, as host of BBC's Horse People. Countess Alexandra Tolstoy. For Countess Alexandra Tolstoy, the fantasy became reality when she met billionaire Russian banker Sergei Pugachev in 2008 and left her then-husband, an impoverished Uzbek horseman called Shamil Galimzyanov, for a life of unimaginable luxury. . I think its very important that your house reflects who you are., The Drawing Room at Glebe Place, with interior created by Alexandra Tolstoy and Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler. 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. The broadcaster, author and businesswoman Alexandra Tolstoy has beautiful taste in interiors - here at House & Garden we've featured her fairytale cottage in Oxfordshire as well as her Chelsea house.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). Were still in touch now. Simply log into Settings & Account and select "Cancel" on the right-hand side. It took me two years to really look at these things, and think this was really not you and I dont even like these things, she explains, switching in a breath from cheerfully recounting her incredible memories to her voice crackling with the stress and anxiety of rebuilding her life. 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. 11:17 EST 03 Nov 2020. 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. Student journalism does not come cheap. [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. Pugachev has cut off Alexandra and their children financially, she claims, and she is now auctioning her possessions with Christie's to mark the 'start of a new chapter'. He had been living in France for the past five years after being ordered to give up his passports in 2014. The two are not mutually exclusive. The auction house expects the lots to make in the region of 250,000. 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. Oxford Student Publications Limited Its the kind of fashion scenario dreams are made of, isnt it? 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. Each 18 x 14 in (47 x 35.5 cm), framed. The largest: 31 in (79 cm) high. Amid it all she has continued to build her collection of vintage pieces from all corners of the globe. 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 Tolstoy has also partnered with Ampersand Travel to curate boutique tours of Russia, and garnered a loyal following across her trio of Instagram accounts. The sale runs until November 25 on christies.com. analyse how our Sites are used. After teenage years spent living mostly in one army surplus shirt and a pair of jeans, Tolstoys style horizons were expanded when she began her adventures in Russia, living like a heroine conjured from the imagination of her distant relation, the Nobel Prize-winning author Leo Tolstoy. 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. 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. A highlight is a 19th-century Russian painted pine model, below, of the Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius outside Moscow. 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). 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. [7], In 1931 she left Japan and settled in the United States, where she gave lectures and worked as a chicken farmer. Sergei 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. My mother was amazing, she made me all these Laura Ashley things which were very special and my aunts knitted Fair Isle jumpers. 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. The smaller two: 19 in (48 cm) and 24 in (61 cm) high. Follow our Instagram@Telegraphfashion, The latest offers and discount codes from popular brands on Telegraph Voucher Codes, Alexandra Tolstoy atYasnaya Polyana, Tolstoys country estate, wearing Vika Gazinskaya, Alexandra Tolstoy wearing vintage Eponine, Alexandra Tolstoy horse riding inKyrgyzstan, Alexandra Tolstoy cooking in a whiteembroidered dress, Alexandra Tolstoy wearing a Dolce & Gabbana dress now listed for 290 on her website, Alexandra Tolstoy buying textiles in Bishkek market, Pencil skirts, high heels, sheer tights and aviators Saint Laurents new collection has them all, How the Princess of Wales makes her Zara bargains look expensive, Here's what the high street should borrow from Diors blockbuster show, If you want to update your wardrobe classics, borrow these 7 handy tips from the Italians, Damian Lewis and the formula for nailing rocker style over 50, travel business leading expeditions through the former Russian empire. The couple met in 2008 after Sergei hired Alexandra to help improve his English while they were both living in Russia, where Sergei was once-close friends with Putin. 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. Having momentarily enjoyed the luxuries of a billionaire lifestyle, shes now entirely without financial support from Sergei, retains no luxuries from their marriage, and has sold all of the designer clothes, bags and shoes shed once owned: but she says shes all the happier because of it. 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. He claims he is being targeted because of his knowledge of state secrets. State creditors in Moscow pursued him in the British courts, claiming he embezzled hundreds of millions. Some years into this life, she was visited by Tatiana Schaufuss, an old friend who had spent several years in prison and in exile in Siberia. 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. The broadcaster, author and businesswoman Alexandra Tolstoy has beautiful taste in interiors - here at House & Garden we've featured her fairytale cottage in Oxfordshire as well as her Chelsea house. To give up his passports in 2014 ( 48 cm ) high old fabric designs 2009, and was a... The largest: 31 in ( 48 cm ) high 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF clothes handbags! Proud of my heritage 19th-century Russian painted pine model, below, of the Trinity Monastery of Sergius. Very special and my aunts knitted Fair Isle knitwear from eBay and clothes by the Russian designer,. Account and select `` Cancel '' on the right-hand side vintage Fair Isle knitwear from eBay and clothes by Russian. 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