No doubt, you have heard of
Coco Chanel.
When Chanel started out, even though she was a new designer nobody had heard of, she decided NOT to start at the bottom and work her way up the ladder.
Instead, she started at the highest end of the market in Paris:
Working with the absolute upper echelon of the high society, creating these bespoke gowns, working with the best artisans in the Parisian market.
Then… Once she earned an extraordinary reputation… She began to work her way DOWN:
She created her ready to wear collections and opened high-end boutiques in some of the most expensive locations on the planet.
The collections were not custom made any more but they were still the highest quality, just available to a high quality but broader market.
They were still infused with luxury such as rarity, scarcity, experience, - never discounted, none of the tactics that the mainstream market uses.
Finally… Once she completely captured two of the highest levels of her market…
She decided to go mainstream and create products for mass market:
Things like cosmetics, perfume, branded smaller items and accessories that made Chanel one of the most well-known brands in the world.