Fender has revived the internet-breaking Strat – along with a host of other appropriately branded accessories – to mark Hello ...

“I wanted Hello Kitty to become more energetic,” she said. “And since she was the face of Sanrio, and was born as a symbol of friendship, I wanted to make lots of friends for her.

But if the character’s early success can be attributed to Shimizu’s simple, memorable design — comprising a mouthless face, oval yellow nose, whiskers and a bow — her status as a pop culture icon is ...

"Hello Kitty's face is a blank canvas onto which anyone can project their feelings," says Tokyo-based author Andreas Neuenkirchen, who has written a non-fiction book about the popular cat character.