She’s one of the most recognizable Japanese faces in the world, and I think we’d all agree that she is super, super cute. Now, at age 32, she’s breaking into high-fashion modeling for luxury brands.
No, she’s not Utada. It’s not Ayumi either. I’m talking about the famous Miss Hello Kitty.
In the current issue of the Japanese edition of Vogue magazine, Hello Kitty gets decked out in Dior’s new fall and winter designs, strutting her stuff while posing in Paris.
Cute factor aside, it’s interesting to guess what this says about Dior’s marketing strategy in Asia – a market obsessed and fanatically loyal to big brands. Unlike the US or Europe where the luxury goods market is dominated by the middle-aged upper class, Asia’s high-fashion consumer market consists largely of young, 20-something, brand-obsessed women. I suppose these are the same women who would know and love Hello Kitty.
This is the first time in history that the Christian Dior brand has used a cartoon character to model an entire fashion line. Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck – eat your heart out.
