Possible Clues:

• Newly arrived, cheri?
• People with recently acquired wealth
• Newly minted?
• Social climbers new to France with deep pockets going native at last
• Social climbers new in Paris contact wealthy engineer
• People with recent wealth but without taste
• Euro perhaps as opposed to the punt is the use of money in poor taste
• One who has recently come into money
• Affluent oriental supporting new French upstart
• Prosperous upstart