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. 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. 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. 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. I just had to pack my suitcase and I could go.'. 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.'. [5] Originally given permission to stay for six months to study schools,[6] she ultimately stayed in the country for 18 months. Compare Standard and Premium Digital here. 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. 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. Biographies of Teymuraz K. Bagration :::: Tatiana Schaufuss. Ive entertained in this house a lot, Tolstoy tells Christies during our video shoot at Glebe Place earlier in the year. 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. Alexandra Tolstoy was the youngest daughter and 12th of 13 children of Sonya Tolstoy and Count Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy, the celebrated Russian author. They had three children together - Alexei, known as Aliosha, Ivan and Maria. Where I would usually be wearing some sort of boho embroidered dress before, it just wasnt formal enough, you needed couture. . Id never felt like that ever before, I was normally quite confident about the way I dressed., Her first taste of the oligarch life soon followed.That evening, President Sarkozy was giving a friend of Sergeis the Legion d'Honneur, and there was a party at the Elysee Palace, and obviously I couldnt go in my jeans and Uggs. I went into this whole other world. I met the father of my three children, Sergei Pugachev, a banker formerly in Putins inner circle, in 2009. Student journalism does not come cheap. The pair met whilst travelling along the Silk Road on horse in 1999. 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. Offered in Alexandra Tolstoy: An Interior by Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, 4-25 November, Online. During your trial you will have complete digital access to FT.com with everything in both of our Standard Digital and Premium Digital packages. In the chaos, she even lost jewellery shed been planning to sell. Stephanie Linning For Mailonline It is not dated and is a little unusual and quirky with the beaded detail. Brora x Alexandra Tolstoy. 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. Talking about her pursuit of an exquisitely domestic lifestyle, Alexandra says that its not just aesthetic, it does also go with a kind of freedom of thought, doesnt it? In her judgment jailing him, Mrs Justice Rose noted he does have a genuine fear that his life is in danger from agents of the Russian state. She died in 1979 at age 96. 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. 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. This led to her being gassed and admitted to hospital herself. If youd like to retain your premium access and save 20%, you can opt to pay annually at the end of the trial. 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. She sent a cheque for 5,500 from her last clear out. 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. He was in a public dispute with Vladimir Putin, so it was dangerous for us to visit Russia for a long time. She changed my life. I remember the first time I arrived in Paris in jeans and a pair of Ugg boots. Theres nothing phoney about it I keep it authentic. [4], In 1921 she became the director of the Tolstoy museum at Yasnaya Polyana. We had an oligarchic lifestyle, and even had a suite on standby at Claridges. 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. Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. 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. 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. 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. Image courtesy of Christies, Tolstoys happy working relationship with Slowik dates back more than a decade. He enjoyed a close relatinship with Vladimir Putin, andin 2008 when Sergei's bank hit problems, the Russian state bailed it out with $1 billion loan. Countess Alexandra Tolstoy is selling furniture, rugs and personal treasures that decorated the 12million London home she once shared with her Russian billionaire ex. Reading Russian literature gave me a greater understanding of the Russian character. Maybe my father could live without church and without God, but we weaker people need something to support us. Tolstoy will donate 20% of the proceeds from her sales to St Gregorys, a charity which helps poor families in St Petersburg. She was born in Poole, Dorset. Many of them met at the "Aunt Sasha" 90th anniversary in 1974. 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. Shortly before her birth, Leo had almost stopped writing novels . He appointed her as executor of his will, a task she had to undertake in 1910. Its the reason shes been selling off many of the fashion relics of her old life, first with a sale at her Chelsea home, and now with a newly launched website where her own cast-offs will be sold alongside those of other stylish women including stylist Martha Ward and creative director and store owner, Alex Eagle. For a full comparison of Standard and Premium Digital, click here. When do the clocks change in 2023? 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. Alexandra Tolstoy buying textiles in Bishkek market Tolstoy will donate 20% of the proceeds from her sales to St Gregory's, a charity which helps poor families in St Petersburg. Later, while living and working in Moscow, she met Sergei Pugachev, with whom she would have three children. 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). | Our privacy policy, Website design and operation by Nelson Fernandes Serrao. 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. [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. Id only been to France on holiday, I didnt speak Russian and all my friends were on gap years in Thailand and India. 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. The Italian models of buildings in Pisa worked in perfect harmony amongst the photos on this table. 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. Were still in touch now. She could choose whatever she wanted. 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. 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. I just get on and do things; I cant sit around doing nothing. 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. Alexandra spoke to Jenny Coad. It was one of the first pieces that I bought and I bought it for practical reasons as well as aesthetic - its great storage! 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). My style reflects my journey. I love decorative art - it adds to the layering of a home - and again these were the perfect colours for our home. 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). 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. After arriving in the UK in 2011, he was accused of siphoning a fortune out of his finance house Mezhprombank. 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'. The pair soon enlisted Burns help. Xander Haveron-Jones talks with Countess Alexandra on cultivating an aesthetic, the liberation of stylistic reinvention, and her infamous billionaire marriage. Alexandra is passionate about Russia; her lifestyle, home and wardrobe reflect as such. Wardrobes full of couture, endless priceless jewels and never-ending shopping trips. 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. [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. 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. Since splitting from Pugachev, Tolstoy has been rediscovering not only her sense of adventure, but her true style. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Shes kept a few special pieces. ", "The long Italian table - elegant and non-obtrusive, it was a fantastic background for photographs and pieces of Russian enamel that I had collected. 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. Back then, people heard about the trips by word of mouth. For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the Settings & Account section. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. offers FT membership to read for free. Amid it all she has continued to build her collection of vintage pieces from all corners of the globe. She sent a cheque for 5,500 from her last clear out. 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. But my father encouraged me to read and, as a teenager, I read a lot of Leo Tolstoy Im a relative of the writer as well as Lermontov, Chekhov, Dostoevsky and Turgenev. Everything weve got I feel is in its own right very unusual and special.. Its a very visually stimulating religion., A Russian painted pine model of the Trinity Monastry of St. Sergius, c. 1900. 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. A set of 12 hand-coloured engravings of botanical specimens, 19th century. 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. After the Silk Road journey, he, a friend and I went to Mongolia with only packhorses. 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! My brother is called Dmitri and I wouldnt pronounce his name because I was so embarrassed. But in 2008, Sergei's bank hit problems and the Russian bank bailed it out with $1 billion loan. [2] She is the older sister of Xenia Sackville, Lady Buckhurst. 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. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. 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. 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. ", "The pair of white sofas with cushions. FILTER Showing 20 products Cashmere Folk Fair Isle Jumper $789 $475 Shes a pin-up for authentic prairie chic. Alexandra on horseback in Kyrgyzstan. 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