Hello Kitty Goes Upscale, Gets Shoes
Sanrio wants to take its familiar feline character Hello Kitty upscale.
The company recently announced the addition of Nichole Murray, creator of NM70 and Niki Roxx footwear, and Heatherette designers Richie Rich and Traver Rains to its stable of contemporary licensees.
For the company, Rich and Rains have designed a custom Hello Kitty collection that will soon make its way onto New York’s fashion runway as part of the 7th on Sixth fashion week in September. Known for their over-the-top embellishments and artfully deconstructed silhouettes, Rich and Rains plan to debut a contemporary collection of sportswear and swimwear. The one-of-akind collection (which the company said will fetch $55 for a T-shirt to $1,000 for a Hello Kitty gown) is mainly inspired by clubwear, said Rains.
Murray will create a colorful and trendy collection of footwear called “Niki Roxx Hello Kitty.” The collection will use printed canvas, leather and cork wedges for sneakers, evening shoes, sandals and flip-flops.
The fun and whimsical footwear line, which debuts next month at the Western Shoe Association Show in Las Vegas, is geared toward a “very girly” junior/ young contemporary customer. Retail prices will range from $16 for a pair of flip-flops to $39 for a pair of sneakers.
“I am truly ecstatic over the opportunity to work with Sanrio and to bring my style to the feet of all those Hello Kitty fans,” said Murray.
Deliveries for both collections begin in Spring 2003.
Sanrio is a $1 billion brand founded in Japan by president and chief executive officer Shintaro Tsuji in the 1960s. The company has grown to include over 12,000 children’s gifts, stationery items and accessories sold in the United States at 120 Sanrio stores and at toy stores and national chain stores, in addition to being sold overseas. The company’s U.S. headquarters are in San Francisco.
The company’s core customers are girls between 5 and 15 years old. However, with a strong junior contemporary market driving up apparel sales, the company said it wants to target a slightly older customer—one that perhaps grew up with Hello Kitty.
Last year the company introduced lifestyle products— from microwaves and other kitchen appliances to color TVs with custom graphics. It also added to its operation an apparel licensing division and hired Caroline Wong to serve as director. Wong now heads the company’s co-branding program, which has recruited young, contemporary design talent such as Paul Frank and DOE.
“With Sanrio’s co-branded program, we are partnering with some of the top names in the industry to offer this young woman impeccably designed, funky clothing and accessories with the signature styling from her favorite designers,” said Wong.
Designer Paul Frank said the company’s co-branded inventory sold out at its Los Angeles boutique on opening day. —Claudia Figueroa
