The Japanese Sanrio company’s Yuko Shimizu first invented the fiction cartoon cat character “Hello Kitty” in 1974, and it first made an appearance in the United States in 1976.
The firm has built the icon into a multi-billion dollar marketing empire, making as much as $5 billion in annual revenues. Though first intended for pre-teen girls, Hello Kitty products, which range from fashion items to consumer goods, are now targeted at adults, as well.
In 2005, Sanrio linked up with the Simmons Jewelry company to create Hello Kitty branded jewelry. Kimora Lee Simmons designed the hand-made pieces, made of gold and polished diamonds, as well as other less expensive materials. The pieces of jewelry range in price from $300 up to $5000, but to attract a young audience with a slimmer pocketbook, in 2008 the firm teamed up with the Zale Corporation to create silver-and-gemstone watches that start at just $50.
