Whats up Kitty designer bows out after 40 years in cost

The flamboyant designer behind Whats up Kitty — the lovable Japanese character that grew to become a world mega model — is stepping down after greater than 4 a long time in command of her look.

Yuko Yamaguchi has been accountable since 1980 for the design of Kitty, who’s formally not a cat however a bit of lady from London, overseeing her rise to the epitome of Japan’s “kawaii” — cute — gentle energy.

However now Ms. Yamaguchi, who usually wore Kitty-style attire in public and piled her hair in buns — has “handed the baton to the following technology”, Sanrio, the corporate behind the character, mentioned on its web site Tuesday (February 10, 2026).

The corporate mentioned new designer “Aya” — a pseudonym — was as a consequence of begin by the top of 2026.

Ms. Yamaguchi “listened to the voices of followers, actively collaborated with artists and designers from Japan and overseas and has grown Whats up Kitty into a personality liked by everybody”, Sanrio mentioned, because it thanked her for her work.

Whats up Kitty began life as an illustration on a vinyl coin purse.

It has since appeared on tens of 1000’s of merchandise — all the pieces from purses to rice cookers — and has secured profitable tie-ups with Adidas, Balenciaga and different prime manufacturers.

The phenomenon exhibits no signal of slowing, with a Warner Bros film within the pipeline and a brand new Whats up Kitty theme park as a consequence of open subsequent yr on China’s tropical Hainan island.

In contrast to different Japanese cultural exports corresponding to Pokemon or Dragon Ball, there may be minimal narrative across the character, whose full title is Kitty White.

She has a twin sister Mimmy, a boyfriend referred to as Pricey Daniel, and a pet cat of her personal, Sanrio says. She loves her mom’s apple pie and desires of changing into a pianist or poet.