Along with that news also came Hello Kitty’s collaboration with shoe brand Melissa for a plastic sneaker capsule for adults and kids. In celebration of Hello Kitty x Melissa, available online now, and in anticipation of the very mysterious upcoming film, here are some of the best times Hello Kitty has made fashion way more fun.
Hello Kitty x Keith Haring Unafraid of dabbling in the fine (pop) arts, Hello Kitty has been a muse for Frank Ocean and, now, the estate of pop art icon Keith Haring. Granted it’s hard to tell how Haring would have felt, but the collaboration is done lovingly, with the artist’s signature squiggly characters alongside a fellow pop art icon.
Hello Kitty x Converse—This is Hello Kitty in perhaps her most authentic form, a symbol of preteen girlhood. The first collection came last year, with red and black Chuck Taylors in both One Star and All Star; last month, Converse gave us customizable Hello Kitty sneakers with kitty print, lilac, and pastel pink canvases to choose from.
Hello Kitty x Fancy Jet—Last March, Hello Kitty went from girlhood friend to chic influencer when Eva Air debuted a customized Hello Kitty jet. The Eva Air A330-302X Hello Kitty Jet comes with the full experience, from an appropriately pink-themed check-in counter to Hello Kitty barf bags, rose, napkins, pillows, etc. If you’re flying between Taipei and Los Angeles anytime soon, you’ll be able to join Hello Kitty in looking out the window and saying “Bye, bitch.”
Hello Kitty x Christian Louboutin—It’s hard to imagine our favorite cat wearing sky-high Louboutins on her petite paws, but also it came out in 2014 that she’s not even a cat to begin with, so what the heck do I know. A shoe company known for bedazzling heels in Swarovski crystals blinged out a pair of platforms in pink, white, and red, and they’re pretty amazing.
Hello Kitty x Lazy Oaf—Lazy Oaf, known for creating nostalgic clothing that reimagines pieces as less cutesy and more street style, debuted a Hello Kitty collection in 2017. There was an oversized hoodie emblazoned with the essential symbology—bow, flower, milk—gingham pants, and an overall dress. The 16-piece offering gave off a deconstructed Hello Kitty vibe, with an oversized button-up with red bows on the back and a simple denim pinafore frock.
Hello Kitty x Leaf Xia—Leaf Xia, Chinese fashion designer and Parsons grad, made her fashion week debut in February with a wild neon collection decked out with Hello Kitty memorabilia. “It’s a sense of overcoming hardness with softness,” Xia told Xinhua. “When I was designing this collection, these colors actually gave me a lot of courage.”