Dasha Zhukova
Encyclopedia
Darya Alexandrovna Zhukova ' onMouseout='HidePop("22084")' href="/topics/Moscow">Moscow
) is a Russia
n philanthropist, entrepreneur, model, fashion design
er and magazine editor.
, a prominent Russian businessman, oil-magnate and illegal arms dealer. Her mother is Elena Zhukova, a Russian scientist, and now retired UCLA professor of molecular biology. Her mother is Jewish and her father is Christian; she identifies more closely with her mother's religion. Her parents split when she was 10 and she moved with her mother to the United States. She lived in Houston, Texas
in the early 90's and grew up in Los Angeles, California
. Dasha attended a Jewish day-school in California. She graduated with honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara
with degrees in Slavic Studies and Literature. She returned to Moscow and later moved to London.
In 2008, Dasha founded the IRIS Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting contemporary culture.
Through IRIS, Zhukova and International Coordinator Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst launched The Garage Center for Contemporary Culture
in Moscow, which has become a prominent venue for modern and contemporary art. It is housed in one of Russia’s architectural masterpieces, the former Bakhmetevsky Bus Garage, designed in 1926 by the Constructivist architect, Konstanin Melnikov. Currently, the Garage Center is slated to open a satellite on New Holland Island, the recent purchase of Zhukova’s romantic partner, billionaire Roman Abramovich. In addition to supporting The Garage, the IRIS Foundation allows Dasha to pursue and execute arts projects throughout the world, including an exhibition of Hector Zamora’s Sciame di dirigibili – Venezia, which was featured at the 2009 Venice Biennale. In November 2009, Zhukova chaired MOCA’s 30th Anniversary Gala, which included performances from Lady Gaga and the Bolshoi Ballet.
Zhukova has been involved in a number of business ventures in fashion and design. In 2006, she co-founded the fashion label Kova & T with her childhood friend Christina Tang. She maintains a role in the creative direction of the company, which recently announced a collaboration with Urban Outfitters.
In February 2009, Dasha was appointed Editor-in-Chief of Pop (fashion magazine). She resigned from that position less than two years later in November 2010.
Dasha is a member of the board of trustees of LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art).
, a Russia
n businessman and the main owner of the private investment company
Millhouse LLC. On December 3, 2009 Zhukova gave birth to a boy, Aaron Alexander Abramovich, Abramovich's sixth child.
She is a former girlfriend of now retired and former Tennis World Champion Number 1, Marat Safin
. The couple split late in 2005.
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
) is a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n philanthropist, entrepreneur, model, fashion design
Fashion design
Fashion design is the art of the application of design and aesthetics or natural beauty to clothing and accessories. Fashion design is influenced by cultural and social latitudes, and has varied over time and place. Fashion designers work in a number of ways in designing clothing and accessories....
er and magazine editor.
Biography
She was born in Moscow in 1981. Her father is Alexander Radkin ZhukovAlexander Radkin Zhukov
Alexander Borisovich Radkin Zhukov is a prominent Russian oligarch based in London with homes in Sardinia, Israel, Moscow and London. He is the founder of the now defunct oil company Sintez UK. Under the USSR, Zhukov was part of the "old Communist aristocracy"...
, a prominent Russian businessman, oil-magnate and illegal arms dealer. Her mother is Elena Zhukova, a Russian scientist, and now retired UCLA professor of molecular biology. Her mother is Jewish and her father is Christian; she identifies more closely with her mother's religion. Her parents split when she was 10 and she moved with her mother to the United States. She lived in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
in the early 90's and grew up in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Dasha attended a Jewish day-school in California. She graduated with honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
with degrees in Slavic Studies and Literature. She returned to Moscow and later moved to London.
In 2008, Dasha founded the IRIS Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting contemporary culture.
Through IRIS, Zhukova and International Coordinator Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst launched The Garage Center for Contemporary Culture
Garage Center for Contemporary Culture
Garage Center for Contemporary Culture is an important non-profit international arts space based in Moscow founded by Daria Zhukova, which opened in 2008. Garage is dedicated to exploring and developing contemporary culture, whilst serving as a catalyst and meeting place for the city’s emerging...
in Moscow, which has become a prominent venue for modern and contemporary art. It is housed in one of Russia’s architectural masterpieces, the former Bakhmetevsky Bus Garage, designed in 1926 by the Constructivist architect, Konstanin Melnikov. Currently, the Garage Center is slated to open a satellite on New Holland Island, the recent purchase of Zhukova’s romantic partner, billionaire Roman Abramovich. In addition to supporting The Garage, the IRIS Foundation allows Dasha to pursue and execute arts projects throughout the world, including an exhibition of Hector Zamora’s Sciame di dirigibili – Venezia, which was featured at the 2009 Venice Biennale. In November 2009, Zhukova chaired MOCA’s 30th Anniversary Gala, which included performances from Lady Gaga and the Bolshoi Ballet.
Zhukova has been involved in a number of business ventures in fashion and design. In 2006, she co-founded the fashion label Kova & T with her childhood friend Christina Tang. She maintains a role in the creative direction of the company, which recently announced a collaboration with Urban Outfitters.
In February 2009, Dasha was appointed Editor-in-Chief of Pop (fashion magazine). She resigned from that position less than two years later in November 2010.
Dasha is a member of the board of trustees of LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art).
Personal
Her partner is Roman AbramovichRoman Abramovich
Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich is a Russian businessman and the main owner of the private investment company Millhouse LLC.In 2003, Abramovich was named Person of the Year by Expert, a Russian business magazine. He shared this title with Mikhail Khodorkovsky...
, a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n businessman and the main owner of the private investment company
Investment company
An investment company is a company whose main business is holding securities of other companies purely for investment purposes. The investment company invests money on behalf of its shareholders who in turn share in the profits and losses....
Millhouse LLC. On December 3, 2009 Zhukova gave birth to a boy, Aaron Alexander Abramovich, Abramovich's sixth child.
She is a former girlfriend of now retired and former Tennis World Champion Number 1, Marat Safin
Marat Safin
Marat Mikhailovich Safin is a retired Russian tennis player of Tatar descent. Safin won two grand slams and reached the world number 1 ranking during his career. He was also famous for his emotional outbursts and sometimes fiery temper on court. Safin also holds the record for most broken...
. The couple split late in 2005.