Mr. Porter now features a Fine Jewelry section with $40,000 tennis necklaces sitting next to $11,000 pendants. Mytheresa’s men’s section has expanded beyond basic bags to include Loewe Puzzle bags and Balenciaga Bel Air pieces. But these retailers aren’t just building bigger product catalogs, they’re executing one of the smartest customer development strategies in luxury retail.
For these brands, accessories aren’t to “build the basket.” Instead, they are using these products as a gateway to build the customer.
The Customer Development vs. Customer Acquisition Mindset
Most founders obsess over customer acquisition: How do we get more people to buy from us? But luxury retailers have discovered something more valuable: customer development.
How do we get existing customers to buy more from us, more often, at higher price points?
Accessories create the perfect entry point for this strategy.
- A $1,200 Cartier bracelet feels accessible compared to a $15,000 watch.
- A $3,000 Hermès bag charm seems reasonable next to a $25,000 Birkin.
But once customers make that first luxury purchase, everything changes.
The psychology is simple but powerful: people want their purchases to make sense together. When someone owns a Cartier bracelet, they start seeing themselves as “a Cartier person.” Suddenly, that $15,000 watch isn’t an expensive jewelry, it’s a logical addition to their Cartier collection.
The Athlete Case Study
Joe Burrow’s journey from Cartier glasses to Met Gala partnership illustrates this perfectly. He didn’t start by walking into Cartier asking for a million-dollar endorsement deal. He started as a customer, buying glasses because he liked them.
Cartier recognized the development opportunity. Instead of treating Burrow as a one-time eyewear customer, they saw him as someone who could represent their entire brand universe. Two years later, he’s their Met Gala ambassador, wearing their jewelry to one of fashion’s biggest events.
This example showcases the transition away from celebrity marketing to customer development at scale. Cartier turned a glasses customer into a brand ambassador who reaches millions of potential customers. The glasses were the entry point; the relationship became the strategy.
The Mathematics of Customer Lifetime Value
The entry point strategy works because it fundamentally changes the economics of customer relationships. Consider the typical luxury customer journey:
Traditional Approach:
- Customer buys $1,200 bracelet
- Transaction complete
- Customer lifetime value: $1,200
Entry Point Strategy:
- Customer buys $1,200 bracelet (entry point)
- Feels like “Cartier person”
- Buys $3,000 watch (logical next step)
- Purchases $5,000 necklace (completing the collection)
- Explores $15,000 statement pieces (full luxury customer)
- Customer lifetime value: $24,200+
The difference is psychological. The first approach treats each purchase as separate. The second approach treats each purchase as part of a customer’s evolving relationship with the brand.
Why Accessories Work as Entry Points
Accessories are uniquely suited for entry point strategies because they solve the luxury accessibility problem:
Lower financial commitment. A $2,000 bag feels more accessible than a $10,000 wardrobe overhaul.
Visible brand signals. Accessories are seen by others, making them effective status symbols and conversation starters.
Collection mentality. People naturally want to complete sets, making additional purchases feel logical rather than excessive.
Cross-category bridges. Once someone owns luxury accessories, they start considering luxury clothing, shoes, and lifestyle products.
Frequent replacement cycle. Unlike a $20,000 watch bought once per decade, accessories can be refreshed seasonally.
The Category Resilience Factor
Men’s jewelry is projected to grow 4.6 percent annually through 2033, even while broader luxury markets struggle.
Accessories provide luxury brands with recession-resistant revenue because they serve dual purposes: they satisfy existing customers’ desire for newness without requiring massive purchases, and they attract new customers who aren’t ready for big-ticket items yet.
When economic uncertainty hits, customers might postpone buying a $50,000 watch but still purchase a $5,000 bracelet. The brand maintains customer relationships and revenue while waiting for conditions to improve.
Building Your Entry Point Strategy
- Identify Your Gateway Product. What’s the least expensive way someone can experience your brand’s full value proposition? This becomes your entry point, not your loss leader, but your relationship starter.
- Map the Customer Journey. What’s the logical progression from entry point to full customer? Create clear pathways that feel natural, not pushy. Each step should feel like a reasonable next move for someone who loves your brand.
- Design for Collection. Make your entry products feel like the beginning of something bigger, not standalone purchases. Think series, systems, or sets that invite completion.
- Focus on Identity, Not Transaction. Help customers see themselves as “your kind of person” rather than just “someone who bought something.” The identity shift drives future purchases more than product features.
- Measure Development, Not Just Acquisition. Track customer lifetime value, purchase frequency, and average order value over time. A customer who starts with a $200 purchase and grows to $2,000 annually is more valuable than ten customers who buy $200 once.
The Broader Market Lesson
The entry point strategy works beyond luxury retail. Software companies use freemium models. Gyms offer trial memberships. Consultants provide strategy sessions. The principle remains the same: use a lower-commitment offering to start relationships that develop into higher-value partnerships.
But the key insight from luxury accessories is this: your entry point must deliver genuine value while hinting at greater possibilities. Cartier’s glasses aren’t cheap knockoffs—they’re excellent glasses that happen to be accessible compared to their watches. The entry point maintains brand standards while lowering barriers.
Most businesses focus on finding new customers because it feels like growth. But luxury brands understand that developing existing customers is often more profitable than acquiring new ones.
The customer who buys one luxury accessory is exponentially more likely to buy another than someone who’s never purchased luxury goods. The person wearing a Cartier bracelet is your best prospect for a Cartier watch; better than millions of people who’ve never heard of your brand.
This changes how you think about marketing, product development, and customer service. Instead of optimizing for first-time buyers, you optimize for long-term relationships. Instead of racing to acquire more customers, you focus on growing the customers you have.
Thank you for reading this weeks article! if you want more branding support check out my social media masterclass here. Use code CAMILLE-VIP15 for 15% off.
xx,
Camille