THE NEW NEW CHIC
by Brook S. Mason



Lord David Linley, cabinetmaker extraordinaire and retailer all rolled into one, who also holds sway as Christie’s director. Manhattan über-architect Robert Couturier. Hipster designer Ron Arad, who sells single chairs for $250,000 a pop. German megacollector Mick Flick. These eminent tastemakers plus slews of European aristocrats, clutches of collectors and tiptop museum honchos like the Louvre’s Pierre Rosenberg stormed the vernissage for the 21st annual super-king of fairs, Maastricht 08, the European Fine Art Fair, currently on view at the Dutch town’s cavernous exposition hall, Mar. 7-16, 2008. A stunning 9,500 people -- 10 percent more than in 2007 -- showed up for the invitation-only preview of the sprawling, 227-dealer show.

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