Hello Kitty Con 2014
Happy Birthday, Hello Kitty. There are hobbies and then there are obsessions. Hiking a few times a week or taking up woodworking are hobbies; transforming your house into a Hello Kitty palace with walls in the shape of her face and a powder pink paint job to coat the house, on the other hand, is an obsession.
The cartoon cat grew from a simple design to a worldwide phenomenon. Few items have escaped the stamp of the white cat’s face, which makes for a collector’s dream. The childlike allure of the kiddy cartoon has drawn many around the world to not only don the occasional Hello Kitty sweater or backpack but to tattoo their bodies and drench their lives in all things Hello Kitty. Everything from Hello Kitty couches to Hello Kitty couture jewelry to Hello Kitty Bugattis to waffle irons that imprint the cat’s face onto your breakfast have padded the Hello Kitty craze from Japan to the US and beyond.
In Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel, Jane Eyre, the author writes, “I have little left in myself-- I must have you. The world may laugh--may call me absurd, selfish--but it does not signify me. My very soul demands you: it will be satisfied or it will take deadly vengeance on its frame.” While her words speak of love, they match the mindset of those who would relish in the upcoming Hello Kitty Con 2014.
Hello Kitty and her friends are turning 40 and Downtown LA will play host to the first Hello Kitty Con 2014. What better location to celebrate one of the most ubiquitous Japanese cultural artifacts than in Geffen Contemporary gallery at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Downtown’s Little Tokyo?
At The Geffen, fans will get a sneak peek at upcoming deigns and exclusive products and will, of course, have the opportunity to purchase countless Hello Kitty products. Naturally, Hello Kitty herself will attend her party—as with other events in her honor around the world—to dole out hugs in the name of friendship, which will be tallied on the Global Hug Report on the convention’s website.
“Since her introduction 40 years ago, Hello Kitty has always been about providing happiness, friendship and fun to the world,” said Janet Hsu, President and COO of Sanrio, Inc. “We commemorate this 40th Anniversary with milestone events, experiences, and special products to connect with and thank fans and celebrate the enduring appeal of Hello Kitty.”
With Kitty’s consistent design and timeless appeal, it can be difficult to brand her with an adult age when she stands as one of the most prominent symbols of youth and innocence. Beginning as a simple print on a coin purse in 1974, Hello Kitty has grown into more than just a darling design for young girls in Japan and around the world. Only two years after the original design, Hello Kitty came to the US. She represented the face of Japan’s kawaii period that embraced childlike purity and playfulness and the world couldn’t help but fall in love with the kitty’s charm.
In 2014, a world without Hello Kitty’s expressionless, yet precious, face seems unimaginable. Since her first fashion statement, the pop icon has actively been a part in altering, and redecorating, the lives of thousands around the world—and Hello Kitty Con 2014 is here to celebrate.
Hello Kitty Con will be held at October 30th - November 2nd, 2014 at the Geffen Contemporary, 152 N Central Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012. $30 per day for adults 13 & overr, $20 for ages 6 thru 12, free for ages 5 & under (limited to four free tickets per paying adult).
Written by:
Cleo Tobbi
Illustrated by:
Jonny Payne
