Bowie faked it. Then he made it.

He set himself up as a star before he was a star.

In his unusual, attention grabbing garb, he found himself a photographer to journal his eclectic style. Then he asked two big, strong men (think bikers) to walk around the city with him while photos were taken.

This caused the public to stop and gape and wonder who he was. “He must be somebody if he has his own bodyguards and photographer” they thought. Then they asked for autographs and these moments were recorded on film adding to the mystery, excitement and anticipation of a star in the making.

All the buying triggers for the human psychology.

Simply brilliant!