Industrial Design
Project Case Study

Hello Kitty is one of the most popular and recognizable characters in the world, created in 1974 by Yuko Shimizu and currently designed by Yuko Yamaguchi. Hello Kitty is a small, round, white cat with a red bow and no visible mouth. She is portrayed as a sweet and gentle character, and has become a cultural icon and a globally recognized brand. Pottery Barn Teen collaborated with Hello Kitty on a casual athleisure inspired home decor and back-to-school accessories capsule collection. The gear collection features a backpack, lunch box, and bow shaped pencil case in cotton jersey knit fabric with gold foil printing of tossed Hello Kitty faces, blush pink canvas accents, cotton webbing, gold metal zippers, and branded hello kitty zipper pullers.

Role

Responsible for sketching, design concepts, design presentations, silhouette industrial design, color materials finish, product development, textile and graphic specifications, construction technical specifications, sample review, product wear testing, and licensing coordination with Sanrio team.

Project Team

Industrial Design - Amie Gutierrez
Product Development - Amie Gutierrez
Textile Design - Betty Pong
Creative Director - Erin Kelsey
Licensed Collaborator - Sanrio’s Hello Kitty