I think it may be that you couldn't really change your status with money. It's not like today when you did something great and your wealth changes by orders of magnitude.

So your status came from being a master. Somebody in very high regard because he is practically irreplaceable. He brings us great clothes. Nobody else around can do it so well. And no, that doesn't mean you could charge a lot for them, because the market is too small and people who are buying from you are the people you depend on for getting the goods that you need.