# Sanrio Targets Males Hello Kitty Menswear By Camster M | Published 2007-12-30 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hello-kitty-sanrio-men-fashion References: [news.yahoo](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071228/ap_on_fe_st/japan_hello_kitty_for_men) The sugary sweet white anime cat that has bewitched generations of young girls will now be used on products geared at young males. [Sanrio](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/forever-21-and-sanrio) company spokesman Kazuo Tohmatsu believes men are ready to accept the [Hello Kitty line](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tanned-hello-kitty) as a legitimate fashion statement. The [T-shirts, bags, and watches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/green-house-ghsmwl-x-sanrio) will go on sale in Japan next month, with US and other Asian cities are expected to follow suit. For the men's line, the familiar bubble-shaped cat's head has taken on a more rugged look to appeal to guys in their teens and early twenties. I can see how. The $36 black men's tee has a picture of a cat stamped with the brand's trademark phrase, “Hello Kitty”. An undisputed icon of Japanese “kawaii” (cute) culture, Sanrio has stamped its white cat logo on everything from erasers to $48,000 diamond necklaces. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.8/10 - Popularity: 76% | Activity: 89% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Leaders](https://www.trendhunter.com/leaders) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Gender-neutral Fashion:** The Hello Kitty men's line shows a growing trend towards less gender-specific fashion. - **Crossover Fashion:** The Hello Kitty men's line showcases the potential for crossover collaborations between traditionally gendered brands. - **Cultural Icon Resurgence:** The popularity of the Hello Kitty brand for both male and female audiences shows the potential for nostalgic cultural icons to make innovative comebacks. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Fashion:** The introduction of a Hello Kitty men's line shows a potential for gender-neutral fashion in many clothing industries. - **Jewelry:** The Hello Kitty brand's success in licensing products (like $48,000 diamond necklaces) shows a lucrative opportunity for innovation in jewelry industries. - **Marketing and Branding:** Learning from Sanrio's success in promoting the Hello Kitty brand could inspire innovative marketing and branding strategies for a wide range of industries. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Lovable Cartoon Cat Apparel](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/forever-21-and-sanrio.md) - [Luxe Cartoon Cat Jewelry](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lanvin-en-bleu.md) - [Cartoon Kitty-Themed Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/forever-21-3.md) - [Character Graphic Collaborative Apparel](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hello-kitty-capsule-2.md) - [Anime Horror-Style Reimaginations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/junji-ito-artwork.md) - [Cat-Inspired Luxury Accessories](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hello-kitty-and-kate-spade.md) - [Kitty-Themed Textile-Focused Apparel](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pero.md) - [Festive Cartoon-Inspired Apparel](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/forever-21-1.md) - [Opulent Kitty-Themed Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hello-kitty-3.md)