Hello Kitty is one of the most prolific and enduring characters in fashion and pop culture, a feat that is all the more remarkable when you consider that this year, she celebrates her 50th anniversary. Still, after five decades, Hello Kitty shows no signs of slowing down. Hello Kitty continues to collaborate with the biggest brands in the world and is much-beloved by the best-dressed stars – Dua Lipa, Saweetie and Katy Perry have all rocked Hello Kitty merch in the last 12 months.

So, how does she do it? Launching in 1974, Hello Kitty’s lore explained she was a British girl who lived in London with her sister Mimmy (identical except Mimmy wore a yellow bow, where Hello Kitty wore a red one), and she appeared on a range of accessibly-priced pieces like vinyl coin purses and fluffy keyrings. By the 1990s, Hello Kitty had taken off in the west, loved by ‘90s style icons like Mariah Carey and, in the early 2000s, Paris Hilton, who loved the kawaii aesthetic, which celebrated ‘cuteness’.

Over the years, Hello Kitty moved from a pop culture phenomenon to a genuine style icon. High street brands like Nike, Adidas and Puma started (and continued to) release Hello Kitty collaborations, as did Casio, Converse – even Crocs. Hello Kitty’s recognisable face appeared stamped into the side of Chuck Taylor high-tops, as an interlocking motif on vinyl flatforms, her signature red bow popping up on Adidas Superstars. Last year, the buzzy skincare brand Starface released Hello Kitty-shaped pimple patches.

And it wasn’t long until the world of luxury fashion came calling. Two years ago, the much-loved Y2K renaissance brand Blumarine released a Hello Kitty collection, complete with baby pink denim mini-skirts (belted with statement Hello Kitty-buckled belts, naturally), metallic crop tops, and low-slung denim jeans with Hello Kitty embroidery. GCDS followed suit by collaborating with Hello Kitty on a line of beanies, cardigans, and – most memorably – an itsy-bitsy Hello Kitty crochet bikini. In 2020, Balenciaga sent a luxury white leather box-tote featuring Hello Kitty’s face down the runway.

So if the fashion world loves Hello Kitty, it’s only natural that this September, Hello Kitty arrives at Chadstone. From 20 September until 27 October, a highly anticipated Hello Kitty Cafe will open at Chadstone in The Social Quarter, where you can enjoy delectable (and very kawaii) Hello Kitty themed treats and peruse our curated selection of Chadstone x Hello Kitty merchandise. During the school holidays, we’ll also be hosting a series of interactive activities and our Hello Kitty craft workshops. You’ll also want to snap a selfie in front of our marvellous interactive artwork, created in collaboration with artist Sofles, which will sit in the Luxury Mall. Plus, shop adorable Hello Kitty collabs at Dotti, Cotton On, and Jay Jays.

Shop our edit of the best Hello Kitty-inspired fashion below.