Create merchandise, which looks weird, but in a "cool" way.
Limit its supply to a very low amount for no reason.
Make it super expensive for no reason.
This is the perfect recipe for making a brand, that seems so exclusive & "cool" that people want to join it.
This is based on the idea around how sneaker & other clothing brands are doing it. It's also similar to NFTs. Create some shit, make it weirdly limited & exaggeratingly expensive & suddenly its artifical as well as senseless exclusivity draws people in.