Yuko Shimizu, who created Hello Kitty, was a designer for Sanrio when she developed the character in 1974. She designed Hello Kitty as a simple, cute character for a coin purse, not realizing it would become a global icon. Hello Kitty’s mouthless, friendly face with a red bow was initially inspired by the kawaii (cute) culture emerging in Japan at the time. This aesthetic quickly became popular, and Hello Kitty expanded from a character on small goods to a massive brand representing Japanese pop culture worldwide.
Though Shimizu created Hello Kitty, she only worked on the character for a short time. She left in 1976 to get married and now works as a freelance Other Sanrio artists and designers continued to evolve and develop Hello Kitty’s image, story, and brand over the years.
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Meet the artist: Yuko Shimizu
Learn more about the creator of Hello Kitty here
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About the Contributor
Hi! I’m Natalia or Nat, and I love animation, drawing, and customizing. Movies, shows, animation, and video games have influenced my life and art. Some are Jersey Shore, Daria, Monster High, My Little Pony, Sanrio, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Red Dead Redemption, Persona 5, Resident Evil, etc. I draw, paint, customize dolls, and create Perler beads art in my free time. I also listen to music like Paramore, Avril Lavigne, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Nirvana, Panic! At the Disco, Malice Mizer, and Evanescence.
I contribute to the talent on the morning announcements and enjoy contributing to stories about art.