Hello, Kitty!

Thirty Years Later and Still the Cat's Meow

By Samantha Read

      She's a simply drawn, bubble-headed white cat whose net worth is in the billions. She's been given a special honorary title by UNICEF and has her own theme park in Japan. Her image adorns thousands upon thousands of products, from the totally useless to the incredibly practical. And even though she just turned 30, don't expect this kitty to grow up any time soon.

Created in 1974 by designer Yuko Shimizu, Hello Kitty began as any another character would for Sanrio, the Japanese company famous for its cutesy children's trinkets. But it was the cute cat's lasting power (she quickly outlasted other Sanrio characters like My Melody and Tuxedo Sam) that made her what she is today – perhaps the world's most famous feline.

Hello, Kitty! - Continued >>