Observer » Gillian Hearst-Shaw

Bucking Economy, ASmallWorld and Diamond Billionaire Lev Leviev to Host ‘Diamonds & Champagne’ Party for Socialites

Irina Aleksander — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:52:54 -0400

Yesterday afternoon, the Daily Transom received an emailed invite for a cocktail party taking place on Thurs., Dec. 5 to "celebrate the holidays" with Harvey Weinstein's online community A Small World (a.k.a. Facebook for millionaires) and the luxury diamond brand Leviev at the brand's Madison Avenue boutique.The email's subject line was, "Socials Buck the Recession with Champagne & Diamonds,"

Young socials like Dalia Oberlander, Jennifer Creel, Gillian Hearst-Shaw, and actress Kiera Chaplin, will be modeling some of the jewelry while socialites Amanda Hearst, Annelise Peterson, and Annie Churchill play hostess.

Leviev was founded by Lev Leviev, a diamond billionaire from Tashkent, Uzbek Republic (formerly part of the Soviet Union) and is ranked the 210th wealthiest person in the world by Forbes with a net worth of $4.1 billion (though as The Observer reported in October, Mr. Leviev may be having trouble paying his bills). Mr. Leviev is the chairman of the investment company Africa Israel Group.

According to a 2007 New York Times Magazine profile of Mr. Leviev, he owns diamond mines in Angola; Leviev boutiques in New York, Dubai, Moscow and London (in 2007, Drew Barrymore wore Leviev diamonds to the Golden Globes); a string of 7-Elevens in Texas; and real estate around the globe (including the former New York Times buildinghe purchased for a reported $525 million.)

Mr. Leviev also happens to have some very important connections. From the article, in which the author visits Mr. Leviev in his office in Israel:

On a shelf in Leviev’s Ramat Gan office sits a framed photo of Vladimir Putin. Leviev describes him as a “true friend.” The offices of many Israeli business magnates feature photographic trophies, grab-and-grin shots with (in ascending order of importance) the prime minister of Israel, the president of the United States, Bill Clinton and A-list Hollywood stars. Leviev has a different collection. Aside from the Lubavitcher rebbe and Vladimir Putin, there are photos taken with the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Kazakhstan, for which he serves as honorary consul in Israel. (“Yes, I saw ‘Borat’ ” Leviev told me wearily. “Yes, I thought it was funny. But silly.”)

When we asked the rep for the event about the partnership of Mr. Weinstein's company with Mr. Leviev's for the event, she said that Leviev is a brand partner in A Small World and the socialites hosting are Small World members who are "interested in Leviev."

The rep also admitted that the theme of weathering the economic storm with diamonds and champagne, was meant a little tongue in cheek. But, added in defense, "I think there are a lot of parties going on right now."

The Hearst Sisters Bunk Up in The Sheffield

Lysandra Ohrstrom — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:24:28 -0400

The recently married publishing heiress Gillian Hearst-Shaw has closed on a condo in the 41-story Midtown building where her sister Lydia lives. Ms. Shaw paid $1.65 million for a 32nd-floor apartment in the Sheffield building at 322 West 57th Street, city records show. The Sheffield is just a stone's throw from Hearst's corporate headquarters and the offices of Town and Country magazine, where Ms. Hearst-Shaw has worked as an editorial assistant for over a year since her reality show was not picked up.

Max Abelson reported that Ms. Hearst-Shaw's sister, model-socialite Lydia, moved into a $1.49 million, two-bedroom condo on a "high floor" of the Sheffield in February. Meanwhile the Hearst Corporation is the landlord of the entire 109,000-square-foot commercial portion of the building.

Gillian Hearst-Shaw Overcame Her Fear of Condoms; Hopes You Will, Too

David Foxley — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:50:38 -0400

Those kooky new Trojan condom commercials on TV, which magically turn a dirty hog into a beddable dude after he picks up a condom, may work for some people—like, for example, the frat boys who regularly recognize Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively on the street. But when it's time to recruit a more well-heeled consumer to the joys of Trojans, Gillian Hearst-Shaw is the lady for the job.

“Before I was married, I was very picky and selective about who I chose to get intimate with,” she told The Daily Transom at a recent dinner party benefiting ACRIA, an AIDS charity.

And though the great granddaughter of media mogul William Randolph Hearst was lucky enough to be born with a silver spoon in her mouth, Ms. Hearst-Shaw, like her sister, Lydia, knows the value of a decent bag.

“I always used condoms,” she said. “At first, I’ll admit, I was embarrassed going and buying condoms. But then I kind of … you get over it. And I went for the full-spermicidal, lubricated nonoxynol-nines!”

“I mean, it’s not worth it. What’s the point?” she asked, looking lovely in a Diane von Furstenberg dress. “It’s better safe than sorry.”

Have young, wealthy New Yorkers started to forget about the terrifying H.I.V. epidemic that remained at the forefront of New York's young people just 20 years ago?

Ms. Hearst-Shaw nodded with a pleasant, knowing smile.

“You just never know—you see a cute person at a bar and you bring them home. And it might not be that they know and just didn’t tell you; it might just be that they just don’t know either, which is the frightening part.”