At the Moscow Motion party in London on April 21, 2007. The event preceeded the controversial Russian Economic Forum, which opened in London on Sunday.
Photo: Valery Levitin
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Whoever Risks Nothing Gets to Drink Champagne
// Russian Economic Forum in London Drowns Itself in Luxury
This weekend London hosted the Global Luxury Forum (GLF) and the party Moscow Motion, which were essentially the pre-party for the two-day Russian Economic Forum, which opened on Sunday. However, instead of discussing global luxury, many participants in the GLF found themselves nervously exchanging opinions on the recommendation from the Kremlin to state officials warning them not to participate in the economic forum in London. Those who turned up in the British capital anyway, according to Kommersant correspondent Evgenia Milova, spent most of their time vying with each other for information about who else would be coming. Some noted with satisfaction, "Our president is right – there's nothing for us to do there."
This was the first year for the Global Luxury Forum, which featured talks on luxury by Russian GQ editor in chief Nikolai Uskov; Vogue editor in chief Alena Doletskaya; pregnant top model Natalia Vodyanova, who was accompanied by her husband, Lord Justin Portman; jeweler Stephen Webster; Smolensk Kristall CEO Maxim Shkadov; and other authorities on the matter of accumulating and managing one's wealth. A notable absence was Mercury vice president Alla Verber, who was scheduled to give an address at the forum and to receive a Global Luxury Award. In a display of political sagacity, Ms. Verber did not grace the forum with her presence, and her prize went instead to a surprised Mr. Shkadov.
While the forum went on in another room, Musa Motors head Boris Teterev sat listening attentively to RBK CEO Yury Rovensky, who had taken the floor in the other room to have a go at deciphering the real reason why Russian government officials had suddenly been forbidden to attend the "emigree caucus," as some in the media have taken to calling the Russian Economic Forum. The discussion was also attended by the economic forum's founder, Iventika president Sergei Kolushev, who appeared unfazed by the Kremlin's warning.
Meanwhile, the room where Ms. Doletskaya was giving her address featured a display of luxury goods and was abuzz with talk of luxury shopping and goods. On Saturday evening, while the press continued to report on the touchy subject of the no-shows at the economic forum, the party Moscow Motion got underway in London.
In the trendy restaurant Sumosan, one of the tables was occupied by Menu Group chairman Azamat Tseboev and his female companions, while another was taken by Ms. Doletskaya, State Duma deputy Alexander Lebedev with a young lady and his son Evgeny, National Reserve Corporation CEO Anatoly Danilitsky, and SAV Entertainment head Nadezhda Solovyova. It would have been impossible to call this gathering an "emigree caucus," since the Russians had come only for a few days and spoke only amongst themselves, not with any Russian emigrees living in London.
After dinner, the guests from Moscow headed for Old Bilingsgate for the Moscow Motion party. In past years, this event has been aimed at bringing together the elder and younger generations of Russian businessmen, but this year it devolved into something more akin to an after-party for the GLF than to a pre-party for the Russian Economic Forum. The party featured a red carpet, hordes of photographers, and eminent businessmen in the usual numbers for glamorous events, including restaurateur Oleg Tinkov, Union of Right Forces (SPS) political council member Boris Nemtsov, Messrs. Rovensky, Lebedev, Danilitsky, Volkswagen Group Rus head Oskar Akhmedov, Troika Dialog president Pavel Teplukhin, designer Maria Tsigal, VJ Irena Ponaroshku, and a rare public appearance by the artist Nikas Safronov.
Mr. Kolushev, the Russian Economic Forum's founder, cheerfully greeted guests at the entrance and swanned through the room with a wide smile that disappeared as soon as his eye fell upon a journalist. Eventually, after boogieing to music from the groups Novu Svelo and VIA Gra and hearing a performance by the singer Mika, the guests began to head for home. From the departing cabs, snatches of conversation drifted back: "so do you think they'll come?", "at least the governors should be there," and "our president is right – there's nothing for us to do there."
Evgenia Milova, London
All the Article in Russian as of Apr. 23, 2007
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