The Cheapness of Luxury

In 1899, the American economist Thorstein Veblen theorized that consuming the right kinds of goods operated as a signal of social standing for members of the upper class. That’s still true today, but some items are so elite that one needs more than money to buy them. Such products speak even more loudly, more conspicuously, than their more available counterparts. Luxury brands such as Hermès, Patek Philippe, Ferrari, and Louis Vuitton, for instance, use vetting processes to ensure that their most desirable products are sold in small numbers. These brands curate exclusivity, making it clear that there are some things that money (or at least money alone) can’t buy.

This cliché rings true for the unnamed narrator of Yasmin Zaher’s debut novel, : She is broke, at least for a wealthy