In 2003, the Central Customs Administration took an inventory of Armani, Gucci, Zegna and Dolche&Gabbana stores owned by Mercury in Moscow. By Elizabeth Howcroft. Among them are Gennady Timchenko, an energy mogul and owner of investment firm Volga Group who has a track record of working to promote Russian heritage abroad through arts and cultural initiatives. Previously, de Pury was the majority shareholder. In 2007, Mercury announced launching the Sochi Luxury Village Project (similar to the Barvikha Luxury Village in Moscow region) in Esta-Sadok settlement near Sochi. Borodin testified that he had got the idea about tailored suits because of Skuratov`s limited choice of clothing. All rights reserved. Phillips is listed by Companies House as having two owners "with significant control" - Leonid Fridlyand and Leonid Strunin - Russians who give their address as the company's Mayfair . I am glad he [Stephen Brooks] has said this but at the end of the day it is just words. But like real estate, the art market has received temporary exemptions from anti-money laundering regulations in the US for the past two decades. Karput established her avant-garde, street brand store in 2009, using the famous Colette in Paris as a model. Mysterious Tomb Unearthed in Armenia, Containing a Couple Who DiedTogether, Phillips Reaches $1.3 B. in 2022, But Asia Sales Declined, ArtPrize's Board Disbands, German Government Buys Back Hamburger Bahnhof's Building, and More: Morning Links for November 16, 2022. Other partners with a stake in the auction house include Phillips contemporary-art director Michael McGinnis and international specialist Michaela Neumeister. The suites were paid for by the firm Mabetex. Amid bloodshed in the Ukraine following the Russian militarys invasion in the country last week, sweeping economic sanctions targeting oligarchs with ties to the Russian government are being levied. Earlier this month, Matthew Girling, the former CEO of Bonhams, told the Art Newspaper that people should boycott Phillips, which is owned by Russians Leonid Friedland and Leonid Strunin. She also designs advertising campaigns and photo shoots. 5. They say that until recently, this luxury trader has enjoyed bringing his Mom to the high-end parties, that certainly speaks volumes for him, as well as the Mercury annual turnover, estimated at $150 million. The two Russians who own Phillips and control a business empire in Russia Leonid Friedland and Leonid Strunin are not on the same plane as Abramovich, though. As evidence in support of his words, Borodin brought the Mabetex invoice dated 14 July 1998, in the name of Skuratov, for tailoring suites, shirts and neckties worth $39675 total. In recent years, Phillips has successfully carved out a niche for itself by holding sales of cutting-edge contemporary art, photography and design, in addition to conducting private treaty sales. He didn`t pay for the suits. The list includes a number of Russians but who are they? On Tuesday, Phillips launched a whisper campaign to let potential buyers know that their sellers are not on any sanctions lists or have any ties to Putin, according to people familiar with the matter. He is not stingy at all and easily gives a discount to people whom he finds agreeable. Russian mogul Leonid Friedland, who runs Moscow luxury retail company. All companies operating in the UK have to file accounts annually at Companies House with details of their finances and ownership. As told by traders, Mercury`s growth rate is still a biggest puzzle of the luxury market. Nine of the 10 most expensive watches were sold through Phillips in 2021, including a brand-new reference 5711 Patek Phillipe Nautilus watch created with Tiffany, which initially sold for $6.5 million, before the winning bidder withdrew and the second, under bidder was awarded the sale. CEO and founder of Russian Art Leonid Strunin explained that on terms of contract, his company is entitled to represent the Italy firm Ermeneglido Zegna, retail its products and accept private orders. Friedland and Strunin also own the Mercury Retail Group, one of the largest luxury goods retailers in Russia. The first stores are to be opened by 2011, the whole Village Project to be completed by the start of the Olympic Games. Hailed as the czars of Russian retail, the business duo brought brands like Gucci and Brioni to their native country. In 2005, the duo also launched the Barvikha Luxury Village development. Friedland says that he is mulling expansion to St. Petersburg and also of rolling out department stores across the former Soviet Union. With reported annual revenues of more than $8 billion, the company operates high-end department stores and shopping centers, including the prestigious TsUM . Owned by Leonid Friedland and Leonid Strunin, the Moscow-based Mercury Group is the largest luxury retailer in Russia. Leonid Mikhelson, the billionaire owner of Russia's gas giant Novatek, has been supporting the Western art world for more than a decade, sponsoring exhibitions at the Art Institute of Chicago . The Russian group has owned Phillips since 2008, when it acquired the company from Simon de Pury for an estimated $60 million. , Brioni, Balenciaga and Tods. On 8.5 acres of green lawns, they include open air sculptures such as Henry Moores Reclining Figure, bought for 19m, Lynn Chadwicks Sitting Couple, a Louise Bourgeois spider sculpture, and a specially commissioned Antony Gormley. Copyright 2023 Promedia Digital Ltd. All Rights Reserved. At Mercury Group, Leonid Friedland has 1 colleague. Anyone involved in this auction has blood on their hands, one outraged art consultant who did not want to be named told The Post. The World's Premier Art Magazine since 1913. Yet Leonid Friedland is one of the most powerful men in fashion. In 1999, Umar Dzhabrailov, a successful buisinessman from Yuri Lujkov`s circle and the owner of Plaza Group (Danako Oil Company, PR-agency Tijaya Gavan`, the Raddison-Slavianskaya Hotel, where its American co-owner was killed) invited his closest friends to his birthday party. Email. De Sole is already on board for Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent stores and Mercury expects Brioni and Dolce & Gabbana to sign up, Roberto Cavalli to open a Just Cavalli cafe and Armani Casa to be the foundation of lifestyle and home ranges. The company should have built a mall and a parking lot on the site of the department store by September 2011, but it exceeded the alotted time. "People already had a great sense of taste and quality; it has always been there and how could luxury die?" Friedland and Strunin also own the Mercury Retail Group, one of Russia's largest luxury goods retailers. He is a bit vain, though carefully conceals this fact: his photograph is kept behind the wall of his office and can be shown only to chosen ones. One of the principal divas of Russian cinema, Litvinova is a student and follower of the great filmmaker Kira Muratova. In an interview with The 'Russian owned' Art Newspaper he suggested that it "will get the attention of the world and the owners . Friedland and Strunin also own the Mercury Retail Group, one of the largest luxury goods retailers in Russia. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Construction and infrastructure magnates, Boris and Igor Rotenberg, who were investigated for circumventing sanctions to buy art in 2020, have also been targeted. Neither Mr Fridlyand nor Mr Strunin is on a US or UK sanctions listand Phillips told The Art Newspaper it wouldnt do business with anyone who was on a sanctions list. We have seen how the world of banking, travel, leisure, sport and culture have responded to the crisis. Most people think Simon de Pury is still the owner., However, Matthew Girling, the former chief executive of Bonhams (he left in 2020) and now an independent consultant, tells The Art Newspaper he believes people should still boycott Phillips over its Russian links. Rolex, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe said they would not comment when asked by WATCHPRO about their position on Russian invasion of Ukraine. Tax-back claims made against TSUM totalled $69 roubles. For instance, a men`s Zegna wool costume was declared as worth $100, but in Moscow its sale price soared over $3,000. Earlier this month, Matthew Girling, the former CEO of Bonhams, told the Art Newspaper that people should boycott Phillips, which is owned by Russians Leonid Friedland and Leonid Strunin. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which took place on February 24th, shocked the whole world. Born in 1969, Strunin is the Chairman of Mercury, the largest Russian luxury retailer, selling watches and clothes as well as cars. Friedland and Strunin have not been named among the people whose assets are being frozen by the US and UK, though even businessmen who are not being hit with sanctions could face difficulties. 2/18/2023 6:53 AM. Leonid Friedland's Phone Number and Email Last Update. Today she continues to publish the magazine and also works as creative consultant for clients such as Kanye West. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Other groups and brands, including LVMH, Richemont and Richard Mille have not replied. I would not like to be the auctioneer this week, one lead auctioneer told the paper. We've received your submission. Mercury Group was established in 1994 by Friedland and Leonid Strunin, who are known to be its principal owners.. But Friedland discounts the idea that Russian clients are all about gold taps and flash taste. In January 1998, the Swiss attorney general Carla Del Ponte informed Scuratov about Behgjet Pacolli`s testimony that Mabetex had paid for tailoring. Its upsetting because its a step towards changing the culture, too. Mikhail Kusnirovich and Ekaterina Moiseeva, owners of Bosco di Ciliegi. says Reebok. . In a Financial Times interview in 2017, Aven identified his favourite piece as Les Maisonettes Rouges by Marc Chagall, bought for a recorded 3.3m. On his request, some bank`s transaction receipt was given to him, which later he brought to Skuratov. Head of the Property Department Vladimir Silkin claimed that TD TSUM gains illegal profits from sales on city territory. Matthew Girling, chief executive of Bonhams until 2020, told The Art Newspaperhe believes people should still boycott Phillips over its Russian links. Alexandra Gordienko, creator of the Marfa Journal. According to the statement from Phillips, talks with Mercury Group began in July 2007 and continued for more than a year. We call for an immediate cessation of all hostilities in the strongest possible terms, he said. The colleagues of Leonid Friedland. This website uses cookies. Commenting on that, Scuratov explained that in late spring of 1997, the Kremlin's chief property manager Pavel Borodin informed him that the President had ordered to provide officials with formal suits, supposedly from government funds. Both are Russian with their address given as Phillips London headquarters in Mayfair and their countries of residence recorded as Monaco and Cyprus, respectively. Although Friedland does not give figures, sources in Moscow suggest that Mercury's annual turnover is $300 million outstripping its competitors in the luxury field. Despite it donating 5.8m to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society from a recent auction in London, and its CEO condemning the Russian invasion, those calling for the company to be shunned argue that only a boycott will force its Russian business figures such as its owners Leonid Friedland and Leonid Strunin to put pressure on the Kremlin. They are very wealthy, collect art and have a large footprint in the Russian economy, but they are not viewed as politically influential oligarchs and have not been placed under . Russia has clearly emerged as an important art market., Phillips spokesperson Ariel Childs told ARTnewsletter, We are looking forward to announcing Moscow initiatives which will capitalize on the new arrangement with this major player in Russia.. TD TSUM owns and runs the oldest Moscow department store TSUM, located in the city center. On Thursday, Phillips the Russian-owned auction house will hold a 20th Century and contemporary art auction where a three-picture series by artist Francis Bacon is expected to fetch up to $73 million. Still, Phillips said it doesn't fear financial hardship as a result of the war in Ukraine. His greatest pride is his tank with piranhas. Friedland and Strunin, who are not subject to any sanctions, list their addresses on Companies House as the Berkeley Square headquarters of Phillips, which was acquired in 2008 by their Russian luxury goods company, Mercury Group. With charitable donations and public statements in support of Ukraine, Phillips, an auction house owned by Russians, is trying to deflect those pushing for a boycott of its business. Name: Leonid Surname : Strunin Middle name : Izyaslavovich Post : General Director of Russian Art - XXI century Biography Born in 1969, Strunin is the Chairman of Mercury, the largest Russian luxury retailer, selling watches and clothes as well as cars. We want to hear from you! Russian teams have been excluded from world sporting competitions and oligarchs like Roman Abramovich are seeing pressure to sell their teams. "Stealth wealth is not working yet in Russia," Friedland says. They provided the donation but its really not back to business as usual, and I think buyers and consignors should take their business elsewhere. 2023 The Business of Fashion. Mercury is also Russias largest retailer of luxury watches. Now those new projects are frozen and nothing can be taken out of Russia., Stephen Brooks, the CEO of Phillips, said earlier this month: We at Phillips unequivocally condemn the invasion of Ukraine. Along with the rest of the art world, we have been shocked and saddened by the tragic events unfolding in the region. TSUM was the main venue for the Second Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, and Barvikha Luxury Villagein a billionaire enclave just outside the citywas the venue for a Gagosian Gallery exhibition last October. Dior and Saint Laurent: Twilight of the Gods. Earlier this month, Matthew Girling, the former CEO of Bonhams, told the Art Newspaper that people should boycott Phillips, which is owned by Russians Leonid Friedland and Leonid Strunin.. The top three are Roman Abramovich, Alisher Usmanov and Leonid Mikhelson, together worth $58.3 billion. Owned by Leonid Friedland and Leonid Strunin, Mercury Group is Russias largest luxury retail company. Earlier this month, Matthew Girling, the former CEO of Bonhams, told the Art Newspaper that people should boycott Phillips, which is owned by Russians Leonid Friedland and Leonid Strunin.. Russian Vogue wrote about the 33-year-old stylist from Vladivostok saying that, " she introduced the 'new Russian' style of 'guys from the neighborhood' to high fashion.". Subscribe today and save! By Elizabeth Howcroft LONDON, March 16 (Reuters) - Auction houses Christie's, Sotheby's and Bonhams have cancelled sales of Russian art in London in June, part of the art market's response to. I have no idea if they will stay, to be honest, and it is very worrying. The holding company runs a chain of luxury stores across the country . Anyone can read what you share. He is also the founder of TSUM Art Foundation. Aucun des deux actuels propritaires de Phillips ne figure sur les listes de sanction et si l'identit des . What Mercury thinks of all this and how it affects the health of its investment is a matter of speculation, since principles Leonid Friedland and Leonid Strunin do not speak to the media. 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