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). Shortly afterwards I introduced her to Emma for decoration help with other projects globally and the relationship grew and grew. 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). 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 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). Alexandra Tolstoy Alexandra Tolstoy is an Anglo-Russian mother, adventurer, author and TV presenter. State creditors in Moscow pursued him in the British courts, claiming he embezzled hundreds of millions. Estimate: 2,000-2,500. I started the Preloved business originally with the idea of cleansing my own wardrobe, she explains. My brother is called Dmitri and I wouldnt pronounce his name because I was so embarrassed. ", "The paintings of Indian palaces. Alexandra Tolstaya 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. 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. cookies Try full digital access and see why over 1 million readers subscribe to the FT, Purchase a Trial subscription for $1 for 4 weeks, You will be billed $69 per month after the trial ends, Joe Biden expected to issue first presidential veto in anti-ESG vote, JPMorgan resists attempts to depose Jamie Dimon in Epstein lawsuits, UK salad shortages not down to Brexit, says Spain, A big splash: Ron DeSantis gears up for expected 2024 run against Trump, Bundesbank warns losses from bond purchases will wipe out buffers, Londons most expensive house sale lined up after Saudi loan expires, Wall Street titans confront ESG backlash as new financial risk, Revoluts auditor warns 2021 revenues may be materially misstated, Swiss prosecutors charge four bankers with helping to hide Vladimir Putins millions, Law firms warn of tougher fee negotiations and payment delays, Live news: Calls grow for inquiry into Chinese interference in Canadian elections, Generative AI is sowing the seeds of doubt in serious science, The benefits of revealing neurodiversity in the workplace, Tim Peake: I do not see us having a problem getting to Mars, Holy smoke: the mystical power of palo santo, GeoGuessr trailblazer hits the ground running, Dior, diamonds and Duncan Grant the passions of Kim Jones. Alexandra on horseback in Kyrgyzstan. It has since been pursuing Sergei Pugachev through the High Court claiming he illegally siphoned hundreds of millions of pounds from the government bailout of the Mezhprombank. 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. 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. Privacy Policy, Three North European decorated and painted lidded jars, mid-19th century, Alexandra Tolstoy: An Interior by Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, A set of 12 hand-coloured engravings of botanical specimens, 19th century, now offering some of its contents for sale at Christies, George Smart, A pair of Regency cut-felt collage pictures of, a trio of decorated and painted lidded jars, a mid-20th-century English oak and brass desk, A Russian painted pine model of the Trinity Monastry of St. Sergius, c. 1900. My mother comes from a big family of seven and they made all their own clothes, bread and yoghurt. 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. When I came back, I switched my university course from philosophy to Russian at Edinburgh. But I like nice things and comforts, and I find nothing difficult about camping. 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 worked closely with the London-based interior designers and decorators Emma Burns and Daniel Slowik of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler Interiors from 2008 onwards to create her family home, where she lived for 12 years. She spent her gap year in Russia. [7] She worked as a lecturer on Tolstoy and as a Russian teacher,[6] and was supported by Japanese literary and academic circles. 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. 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. 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. Her life with Pugachev took her away from all that, and transported her into a life where designer trainers were in, collections of Chanel handbags were vast and vintage market buys were out. 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. Where I would usually be wearing some sort of boho embroidered dress before, it just wasnt formal enough, you needed couture. . We're excited to be offered a peek into the world of Alexandra Tolstoy. 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. 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. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. Speaking of their relationship in a documentary that aired this year, Alexandra said: 'When I met Sergei it was electric. When I was in Sergeis chteau, he wouldnt really let me do anything anyway. Offered in Alexandra Tolstoy: An Interior by Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, 4-25 November, Online, One of her favourite pieces to be offered at Christies is a 20th-century North American rag rug. The first time I went to Russia was in 1992, just after the Soviet Union dissolved. 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. Enjoy browsing and do email us if you have any questions! Energetic all her life, with a remarkable calmness of spirit, Alexandra Tolstoy lived at the TF Center in Valley Cottage, New York. A set of 12 hand-coloured engravings of botanical specimens, 19th century. When do the clocks change in 2023? I never failed to fill one. Standard Digital includes access to a wealth of global news, analysis and expert opinion. Stephanie Linning For Mailonline 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. The pair soon enlisted Burns help. I fell so in love with him. Please, The subscription details associated with this account need to be updated. I lived with a Russian family in Moscow the father was an actor. She could choose whatever she wanted. It was also life-changing: a book deal soon followed, as did a brief marriage to an Uzbek showjumper. Until then, dressing up for Tolstoy had been more about style and craftsmanship than touring designer boutiques. If you do nothing, you will be auto-enrolled in our premium digital monthly subscription plan and retain complete access for $69 per month. 'It was a great pleasure to be able to fully utilise such a diverse and highly personal selection of works of art, furniture and objects in a family home but also to be surrounded by objects that I took great huge pleasure from every day. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. 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. 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 Selling her designer clothes and handbags allowed her to start again, and to be herself. 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. We use She grew up in Oxfordshire before going to Edinburgh University to study philosophy. On the order of the High Court, the family home was put on the market and Alexandra made a deal with the Russian government to drop her claim to his fortune. Everything was paid for and clothes were delivered at home. I went on to take groups every year between 2002 and 2009, and was leading a tour the week before my wedding. In 1934, she authored a book about her life entitled "I Worked for the Soviet" and it was published by Yale University Press. 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. So we went to Chanel and bought a dress. She sent a cheque for 5,500 from her last clear out. 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 never failed to fill one. FILTER Showing 23 products Cashmere Folk Fair Isle Jumper 495 259 But, Alexandras presently unassuming country lifestyle, or, indeed, the life of adventure in her earlier years, is miles from the shrouded world of Russian high society, and from the 200-acre estate in Hertfordshire and $40 million beach-front Caribbean villa she recently enjoyed with her husband, whose fortune went from $15 billion to $70 million and now refuses to give her and the children even a penny. There are many treasured items that I sourced and selected over the years with the expert guidance of decorators at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler. We became addicted to travelling in this way. 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. 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 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. 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. Being in that landscape makes your senses alert. The Russian Orthodox cross is a staple of Ms Tolstoy's apparel. By 2015, he was dividing his time between France and the family home in London and claimed to be number 3 on Kremlin's hitlist. Collect, curate and comment on your files. personalising content and ads, providing social media features and to It was shocking how he had absolutely no clue about finances, about running a company; it was shocking basic accounting, he didnt even understand. 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. You may also opt to downgrade to Standard Digital, a robust journalistic offering that fulfils many users needs. I just get on and do things; I cant sit around doing nothing. Sign up for the latest news, offers and styles, Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device, The Tolstoy Edit x SJ Axelby Interior Portraits, choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. But its absurd Putin just wouldnt care about that. Having once enjoyed an intensely close friendship, even spending many holidays together, by the time Alexandra met Sergei, he had only seen Putin once, in all those years., Alexandra asks if Ive watched Dirty John on Netflix, and compares theirs to the romance underpinned by the manipulation of the sociopathic significant other: I just find the psychology of being a sociopath or narcissism so fascinating; this creating of narratives that are literally just complete lies, but I think they end up half-believing them She later asks if Ive read And Quiet Flows the Don, saying that the relationship at the beginning is very, very similar; it just feels so full of danger and its very raw, and often angry, but then very passionate to me, it felt really like I was so in love. Reflecting on their marriage, and his moments of physical violence and control over her, she says that there were signs there, but she just didnt know how to read or understand them., I think the real truth was that, yes, he wasnt bowing down to Putin, but he also had a business partner who he was very close to for years, and that business partner left [and it was at this point that Sergei began having business difficulties]; Sergei himself was no kind of businessman. Riding the length of the Silk Road in 1999, from the . [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. 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. 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. Estimate: 1,000-2,000. 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. Together, in 1939 they founded the Tolstoy Foundation.[4]. 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