I fell so in love with him. Someone who worked for us stole my jewellery and at first I was devastated because it was jewellery that I could sell to look after my children, I just thought this is the end, but actually you know Ive managed to survive and its fine. ", The house, though small, was designed to work well for entertaining, but also as a space where Alexandra's children could play and be comfortable. She changed my life. But it wasnt really me. I never failed to fill one. Throughout my life, all the bad things that have happened have spurred me on. 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 a therapeutic process. 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. But in 2008, Sergei's bank hit problems and the Russian bank bailed it out with $1 billion loan. With Sergei, I lived in this new Russian way but I hated it. university 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. Enjoy browsing and do email us if you have any questions! 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. They were symbols of a bad time so it doesnt matter.. 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. Student journalism does not come cheap. In 2008 Alexandra met Sergei, then one of Russias most influential men, who had bankrolled the Russian government; but, following Putins eradication of the oligarchy, and the disappearance of a $1 billion loan from the State to his bank which went under a year later, Sergei had to flee Russia in fear of his life, allegedly receiving death threats to himself and their children. Riding the length of the Silk Road in 1999, from the ruins of Merv, in Turkmenistan, to Xian, in China, set off this whole apocalyptic adventure or perhaps I should say misadventure. Change the plan you will roll onto at any time during your trial by visiting the Settings & Account section. Like a haven from the outside world.. 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. 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. After the war, she worked on an edition of her father's writings. Its the kind of fashion scenario dreams are made of, isnt it? 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. Tolstoy is the daughter of Count Nikolai Tolstoy and Georgina Brown. 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. She was born on July 1, 1883, at her parents' Russian estate, Yasnaya Polyana, in Tula province, about 130 miles south of Moscow. The sale runs until November 25 on christies.com. 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. She is an adventuress who has travelled the Silk Route by horseback and explored different cultures, uniquely, as host of BBC's Horse People. I just had to pack my suitcase and I could go.'. Theres nothing phoney about it I keep it authentic. 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. The book details the difficulties she faced living in Russia during and after the revolution. 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. Follow. They had three children together - Alexei, known as Aliosha, Ivan and Maria. Biographies of Teymuraz K. Bagration :::: Tatiana Schaufuss. She was active as the Foundation's President and served as a fundraiser, a lecturer, and a writer until l976. ", "The paintings of Indian palaces. I have a lot of energy. [9][10], In 1974, at the age of ninety, Tolstaya received birthday greetings from President of the United States Richard Nixon, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and others, and was interviewed by The New York Times. Search instead in. 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. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. We're excited to be offered a peek into the world of Alexandra Tolstoy. 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. We became addicted to travelling in this way. Alexandra also worked with Emma on her home in Moscow. I went quite street. Contestant shares behind the scenes secrets from the hit quiz show - revealing there's NO studio audience and how the Chaser's identity is kept secret, The ultimate pre-lockdown to-do list! We are no longer accepting comments on this article. I lived with a Russian family in Moscow the father was an actor. 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. Mothers share the things they want to remember this time around - including going to the tip, picking up craft supplies and having acrylic nails taken off, Britain's first blind and deaf trainee medic reveals she's spent 'more time as a patient than a doctor-to-be' during a nightmare year where she was made homeless and spent three months in hospital. 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. Alexandra Tolstoy published many books (" I worked for the Soviets", 1934; " Father. 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. [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. 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. 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. The Russians then accused him of profiting from vast sums of taxpayers' money given to Mezhprombank by the Russian central bank at the height of the 2008 economic crisis. 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. 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. She sent a cheque for 5,500 from her last clear out. 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. It was so enriching and fabulous.. My mother was amazing, she made me all these Laura Ashley things which were very special and my aunts knitted Fair Isle jumpers. I remember the first time I arrived in Paris in jeans and a pair of Ugg boots. Estimate: 2,000-2,500. 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. One womans confidence-shaking luxury purchases are anothers treasure. 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. Everything weve got I feel is in its own right very unusual and special.. He was in a public dispute with Vladimir Putin, so it was dangerous for us to visit Russia for a long time. I was always scouring around. Images from the time show her looking the bohemian ideal, wearing romantic blouses whilst leading horseback tours through the wilderness. 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. 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. He also claims 'credible attempts' had been made on his life in the UK. Many of them met at the "Aunt Sasha" 90th anniversary in 1974. I led them, with Shamil, from Bukhara to Samarkand, and it was a success. Tolstoy also wanted to show support for the small labels she loves to wear now, so theres also a section with exclusive discounts for Alex Gore Brownes knitwear, Pink City Prints Indian-influenced cotton pieces and O Pioneers Laura Ashley-esque dresses. State creditors in Moscow pursued him in the British courts, claiming he embezzled hundreds of millions. The auction house expects the lots to make in the region of 250,000. Check if your Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. Says Slowik of their relationship, "My first contact with Alexandra was supplying a few antiques but such was our connection that it soon turned to furnishing the whole house at speed to prepare for her return with her first baby. 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. If youd like to retain your premium access and save 20%, you can opt to pay annually at the end of the trial. I did really lose myself in that period and Ive started dressing in a way that just wasnt me. 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.. Simply log into Settings & Account and select "Cancel" on the right-hand side. As the partner of a Russian oligarch, Countess Alexandra Tolstoy had an envy-inducing wardrobe, as she dressed the part in haute couture gowns accessorised with diamonds and designer handbags. He appointed her as executor of his will, a task she had to undertake in 1910. Shes a pin-up for authentic prairie chic. If you do nothing, you will be auto-enrolled in our premium digital monthly subscription plan and retain complete access for $69 per month. 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. 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