Hello Kitty designer steps down after 46 years

Hello Kitty is a globally recognised brand

The designer behind Hello Kitty is stepping down after 46 years, during which time she oversaw the feline character achieving world recognition.

Yuko Yamaguchi took over design duties for the character — who isn't actually a cat, but a little girl from London — in 1980, five years after she first launched.

Hello Kitty was immediately popular in Japan, but over Yamaguchi's four-decade tenure has become one of the most lucrative franchises in the world.

Sanrio, the firm behind Hello Kitty, said Yamaguchi has "passed the baton to the next generation" as it thanked her for her work.

Hello Kitty launched as the Japanese 'kawaii' culture — a hyperfeminine, girlish aesthetic — gained popularity across the world.

Yamaguchi herself often wore Kitty-style dresses in public and piled her hair in buns.

The designer, now aged 70, "has grown Hello Kitty into a character loved by everyone", Sanrio said on its website.

Yuko Yamaguchi was known to dress like Hello Kitty at events

The company said one of its other designers, known only by the pseudonym "Aya", has already been working alongside Yamaguchi and will take over by the end of 2026.

Yamaguchi will stay with Sanrio to provide advice and support.

The Hello Kitty character first appeared on a coin purse in 1980 and has become a global marketing phenomenon.

She has appeared on clothes, accessories, video games, and even an Airbus plane. She has partnered with brands such as Unicef, Nintendo and Balenciaga. She has also appeared in float form at the Macy's thanksgiving parade.

There are Hello Kitty cafes around the world and a theme park in Japan. Another park is due to open in China.

Unlike other Japanese exports such as Pokemon, there is little backstory to the character of Hello Kitty. Sanrio has said she "isn't a human, [but] she's not quite a cat either".

According to Sanrio, she was born in London and has a twin sister named Mimmy and a boyfriend named Dear Daniel.

Kitty will make her cinematic debut in a Warner Bros film in 2028. She has already appeared in several animated series but has never spoken, as she doesn't have a mouth.