The A List

By Betsy Kroll

SEATTLE Comfort is as high a priority as style for local buyers of Crate & Barrel's Blake lounge chair ($799)--they spend most of the year nesting inside

LOS ANGELES Since coming onto the market in 1994, Herman Miller's ergonomic Aeron chair ($949) has become a must-have on movie and TV sets

QUITO The simple design and natural tone of BoConcept's Schelly chair ($849) make it a hit among Ecuadorans who prefer warm colors and fluffy carpets

ST. LOUIS The city's famous arch was designed by Eero Saarinen and, coincidentally, so was a best seller for Design Within Reach, Knoll's Womb chair ($2,380)

MEXICO CITY The Treccia chair's ($1,391) combination of elegance and modernity appeals to shoppers at Roche Bobois, where it is always on display

BUENOS AIRES The modern design of Armani Casa's Vegas chair ($1,924) draws attention, but its top-quality materials have Argentines excited

NEW YORK CITY Ligne Roset's foam Togo chair ($1,215) has developed such a cult following that the company added child- and babysize versions this year

HOUSTON The Wren Tufted chair ($7,763), from Baker's Bill Sofield collection, embodies the mix of warmth and sophistication that Texans are partial to

SAO PAULO At Kartell's Brazilian flagship store, customers purchase Philippe Starck's Louis Ghost chair ($290) every day

LONDON Vitra's Panton chair ($272), an updated version of the 1967 classic, is family friendly. Made of polypropylene, it's durable and easy to clean

MILAN Italian actresses like Lory Del Santo, Licia Colo and Alba Parietti all cool their heels in Driade's Meridiana chair ($372) by Christophe Pillet

CAPE TOWN From safari lodges to chain restaurants, Magis' stackable Air-Chair ($122) by Jasper Morrison fits in seamlessly with a wide variety of surroundings

PARIS VIPs like Karl Lagerfeld buy furniture from Cassina. Many choose this slipcovered Hola chair ($685) by Hannes Wettstein

TOKYO The clean structure and bold color of B&B Italia's red Vol au Vent chair ($267) by Mario Bellini make it the seating style of choice

BANGKOK Cappellini's curvy S chair ($1,258) by Tom Dixon may not look as if it supports much weight, but that hasn't slowed its success on the sales floor

SYDNEY Even at throwaway prices, when it comes to Ikea's plastic-and-steel Herman chair ($23), Australians play it safe with basic black or white

COPENHAGEN Design-conscious Danes of all ages and incomes splurge on the leather version of Moroso's Fjord chair ($3,549) by Patricia Urquiola

MANILA Filipinos love Ethan Allen's Radius Recliner ($1,399). It's more streamlined than typical reclining styles and doesn't even have a lever