The word is bandied around fairly freely on the Internet, and in marketing copy and brand-related commentary. So much so that its true meaning has probably been lost. So what does it mean? Does it really mean “great”, “rare” or “well made”? Or does it mean something almost completely different?
Cartier, a luxury brand (habit of indulgence, anyone?)
The word is derived from the Latin luxuria, meaning excess, extravagant living, profusion or delicacy. In the Middle Ages, it came to mean lust, vice and bad living in general. By the 17th century it started to be used as a synonym for “habit of indulgence in what is choice or costly” (1630s); “sumptuous surroundings” (an example from 1704); something “choice or comfortable beyond life’s necessities” (1780). It has been used as an adjective since the early 20th century. A related phrase is “de luxe” or “deluxe”, meaning “with luxury”.
Luxury in the 18th century, as understood by a contemporary artist (lust, vice and bad living)
What we have, taking the evolution of the word into account, is that luxury means something not essential, something extra or beyond what is simply useful, as in “I have the luxury of a large house” – meaning that I have something that gives me an advantage, beyond what would normally be expected. So, what do we mean by “luxury brand”? Very simply, a brand carried by products that serve little or no useful purpose but provide joy to people who can afford them.
A luxury brand of the 1970s (habit of indulgence in what is choice or costly?)
Given the foregoing, is AskOkey a luxury brand? To start with, it is a brand that produces useful articles of clothing, at a certain price point, with a style and level of craftsmanship beyond what is typically expected. Remember, to qualify as a “luxury”, a product has to go beyond what is merely useful, and our products certainly do that. In terms of design, construction, fabric and finishing, an AskOkey product has certain attributes that might qualify it as a luxury (beyond life’s necessities).
Hashim advises Omar on his latest AskOkey suit (one of life’s necessities? Arguably, yes)
Does that mean that an AskOkey suit, for example, is frivolous or extravagant? Not at all. All men need suits, and all men should have good suits, designed to enhance rather than uglify them, made to last, in which they can take a certain pride. Does that, on the other hand, make an AskOkey suit a necessity? We would like to think so, but that is probably a fanciful hope, rather than a logical case.
We have not considered whether there are levels of luxury. AskOkey’s MTM line is a little luxurious, in that it has quite a few attributes that take it beyond the typical in its category. AskOkey bespoke is more fully luxurious (to coin a phrase, with apologies to the Thomists, it partakes of the accidentals of luxury to a greater degree), but given the utility of the products, as opposed to jewelry or perfume, it cannot really be called entirely luxurious.
So when you look at our website and browse the catalogue of what we offer, think about what you need, in addition to what you want, and consider us not as a luxury brand, but as a brand for people who value originality, good workmanship and longevity. After all, you are not buying just clothing when you come to us. You are buying into a tradition and purchasing an asset that will become an heirloom.
Appropriate storage for grandfather’s AskOkey suits, in the year 2091