Since 1980, Yamaguchi has been in charge of Hello Kitty, who is officially not a cat but a little girl from London. But now the designer has “passed the baton to the next generation,” according to a statement on Sanrio's website, the company behind the character.
Yamaguchi "listened to the voices of fans, actively collaborated with artists and designers from Japan and abroad, and has made Hello Kitty a character loved by everyone," Sanrio writes.
The new designer, who goes by the pseudonym “Aya,” will start in late 2026.
Hello Kitty began as an illustration on a vinyl wallet. Since then, she has appeared on tens of thousands of products - everything from clothing to kitchen utensils and toys.
