11 of the Best Hello Kitty Collaborations of All Time
First created in 1974, Sanrio's Hello Kitty has become one of the most popular characters around, lending itself to countless collaborations within the fashion and beauty space over the years. Whether its familiar face has appeared on sneakers, bags or even spot stickers, its collaborations are always met with positive feedback and sell-out releases, slowly becoming collectible items amongst fans of the character and of fashion.
This year, Hello Kitty reaches its 50th anniversary, an impressive milestone that has seen the character feature in a slew of new collaborations, commemorating its impressive landmark. In January alone, we've seen brands like Casio, Crocs and adidas teaming up with the cult-loved kitty, with plenty more drops expected to surface throughout the 50th year.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Sanrio's beloved character, we've rounded up some of our favorite Hello Kitty collaborations from the last few years, along with some of this year's anniversary collections.
Ahead, we revisit sell-out collabs like the Balenciaga bag, Casetify collection and Starface collection, alongside more recent iterations from Soulland, Crocs and adidas.
Grind Coffee x Hello Kitty
London-based coffee company Grind also joined in on the anniversary fun this year, celebrating 50 years of Hello Kitty by collaborating with Sanrio. Featuring a brand new coffee tin with the beloved character, the collaboration also includes a reusable stainless steel coffee cup and a T-shirt.
GCDS x Hello Kitty
The recent collaboration from GCDS and Hello Kitty saw the brands team up with PAN Milano, a Japanese bakery specializing in classic viennoiserie pastries with a Japanese twist. As part of the collaboration, the bakery featured GCDS and Hello Kitty branding throughout, alongside Shokupan and Hello Kitty-shaped doughnuts, plus the Spring/Summer 2024 capsule collection, including new ready-to-wear pieces like T-shirts, caps and shirts alongside best-sellers like the signature GCDS Crochet Bikini.
Cambridge Satchell Company x Hello Kitty
Also releasing in celebration of the iconic characters' 50th anniversary, Cambridge Satchell Company teamed up with Sanrio to debut the new Hello Kitty Face Backpack alongside a re-release of the Hello Kitty Face Tote Bag in a new "Iced Pink" colorway.
Hello Kitty x Casio
The latest collaboration sees Hello Kitty team up with Casio to debut a collaborative Baby-G timepiece. Celebrating the beloved Sanrio character's 50th anniversary, the new timepiece also celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Baby-G silhouette. Based on the original BGD-565 model, the collaborative watch boasts a crisp white build, accessorized by hues of red and blue, aka Hello Kitty's signature colorways.
Hello Kitty x Crocs
Taking over the footwear brand's classic clog silhouette amongst others, the Crocs collaboration saw the signature design adorned with subtle Hello Kitty decals. Reviving a classic white pair, the collaborative silhouette featured Hello Kitty's bright red bow in a shiny gloss, paired with a glossy red heel strap and finished with a blue midsole. Elsewhere, the clogs feature the Hello Kitty logo and name across the shoe’s insole, alongside appearing on the circular pieces of the heel strap. The collection also included two heeled and platform silhouettes, designed with iridescent blue and pink soles.
Hello Kitty x Converse
The Sanrio x Converse collaboration delivered four themed colorways of the iconic All-Star silhouette. The All-Star Hi, in a vibrant red, featured charming My Melody prints on the lateral heel, while the All Star Ox came complete with a fluffy white sole adorned with Hello Kitty's signature red bow.
Hello Kitty x adidas Forum
The follow-up release to the three-part collection that debuted in 2022, Hello Kitty's 2023 adidas collaboration saw the familiar face gracing the adidas Forum Bonega. This time, the welcome addition landed in the form of a platform-soled Forum Bonega, complete with Hello Kitty and her friends Purin and Kiki. The white and off-white leather upper was accessorized by subtle hits of soft pink, complete with colorful overlays and meshing of materials.
Hello Kitty x Soulland
Sanrio's loveable character enlivened the Copenhagen-based brand's classic designs in their collaboration, as matching sets and dresses were decorated with her image. Beige corduroy blazers were accented with cartoon hearts and kitschy illustrations of the cuddly kitty, arriving with co-ordinating pants and a button-down shirt. Elsewhere, a form-fitting pink maxi dress was made all the more romantic with the addition of Hello Kitty, while a cozy black sleeveless turtleneck rounded out the collaborative collection.
Starface x Hello Kitty
Starface and Sanrio reunited last year to bring back the cult-loved design that initially sold out in 72 hours and drove a waitlist by the thousands. Starface's Hello Kitty collab arrived in packs of 32, housed in an adorable (and collectible) Hello Kitty-themed case. The award-winning patches are designed to draw out acne and prevent unwanted bacteria from penetrating your skin, and now have the added benefit of being extra-adorable, too.
Hello Kitty x Casetify
Comprised of two capsules, the "Mini Mart" and "Signature" collections, the Casetify x Hello Kitty collaboration saw signature tech accessories revitalized with super sweet Sanrio makeover. The "Mini Mart" collection allowed customers to decorate their very own Hello Kitty iPhone, AirPods, iPad and MacBook cases with playful fruit stickers, while Apple Watch straps were printed with graphics of Hello Kitty hiding in a shopping bag.
Hello Kitty x Balenciaga
Debuted on the runway in 2020, Balenciaga's Hello Kitty bag is one of the biggest luxury fashion collaborations Sanrio has ever seen. Arriving in white, pink and black, the sportswear bag was designed with the famous cat's face along with retro accents, black lace "whiskers" on the side, and an iconic red bow to finish the look.