Hello Kitty is a fictional character from the Japanese company Sanrio, known for her simple design, red bow, and lack of a mouth. While she is seen as a cat, Sanrio has stated that she is actually a British schoolgirl named Kitty White.

Hello Kitty was created by Yuko Shimizu as a cute approachable symbol to be used on merchandise. Shimizu’s design, a white cat with a red bow, drew inspiration from a small white kitten her father had given her as a child. Shimizu’s goal when creating Hello Kitty was to create a “kawaii” (cute) character that would appeal to a broad audience. By not having a defined mouth, Hello Kitty can “speak from the heart,” connecting with people regardless of their language or culture.

Hello Kitty first showed up in March 1975 on a vinyl coin purse sold in Japan, where she pictured sitting between a bottle of milk and a goldfish bowl. She came to the United States in 1976 when Sanrio opened a store in San Jose, California. Hello Kitty became really popular right after she was released in 1975, and Sanrio’s sales grew. Since Japan’s economy was doing well, many kids bought Hello Kitty items. Hello Kitty also became popular when “kawaii” culture started growing.

Hello Kitty is still really popular today, serving as a global pop culture icon 50 years after her creation, with merchandise available in over 130 countries and strong sales figures.