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Hello Kitty to Purr for Young Men, Too

Company will make girl-friendly product line palatable for teen boys

By Wesley Oliver, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 28, 2007 2:46 PM CST

(Newser) – Will boys really say “Hello Kitty”? The company behind the sugary-sweet product line thinks so. Japan’s Sanrio Co. says it will plaster the cuddly cat on T-shirts, bags, watches, and other products for males. “We think Hello Kitty is accepted by young men as a design statement in fashion,” a Sanrio spokesman said today.

“Young men these days grew up with character goods,” Kazuo Tohmatsu explained. “That generation feels no embarrassment about wearing Hello Kitty.” To appeal to teen boys and males in their early 20s, designers will give Kitty a more feral look, the AP reports. Hello Kitty is one of Japan’s most popular characters, gracing everything from erasers to diamond necklaces.

[Images (5)]

[Videos (1)]

A Hello Kitty T-shirt targeted at young men shows the cute cuddly white cat, usually seen on toys and jewelry for young females, in a more rugged design. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) (Associated Press)

Japan's Sanrio Co.'s Hello Kitty products targeted for young men are shown at the company's headquarters in Tokyo Friday, Dec. 28, 2007. The cute cuddly white cat, usually seen on toys and jewelry for... (Associated Press)

The Hello Kitty balloon moves through Times Square during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade Thursday, Nov. 22, 2007 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (Associated Press)

In a file photo a man wears a Hello Kitty mask in Beijing, Wednesday, April 23, 2003. (AP Photo/Greg Baker) (Associated Press)

Employee for Japanese character goods maker Sanrio, Yui Mera poses with a Hello Kitty digital camera. (Getty Images)

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Hello Kitty to Purr for Young Men, Too