Hello Kitty Is 35 Years Old!

New Directions
The original Kitty was targeted to children, but designer Yamaguchi heard from older kids who were drawn to the character but were embarrassed by its childish quality. So in 1987, Sanrio began to produce a Kitty that might appeal to older audiences, like the black and white rendering that was released in 1987, above.

• Hello Kitty Designer Yuko Yamaguchi