News

Hello Kitty goes high fashion in Asia

August 13, 2012

Hello Kitty's first and only high-end fashion brand is heading toward its roots in Asia with the opening of 15 stores across the continent. Pynkiss boutiques have already opened for business in the Philippines marking the beginning of its Asian growth plan. Pynkiss directors are in talks with several high-profile businesses across the entire region including several in mainland China, according to a company press release. It is also preparing for the further expansion of the brand throughout the remainder of 2012, and well into 2013, bringing its apparel and accessories to the already devoted Asian Hello Kitty customer. 

China is now the world's fastest growing market for licensed goods, which has grown more than 250 percent from U.S. $1.1 billion in 2005 to U.S. $4 billion in 2011, an average annual growth rate of 29 percent, almost tripling the country's GDP growth rate. Despite a very short history of development, the huge size of the economy has made China the second-largest licensing market in Asia, following Japan.

Altlhough Pynkiss is designed in Milan, it features the Japanese and international icon Hello Kitty (part of the Sanrio staple), which has grown into a U.S. $6 billion a year brand. 

The global expansion of the brand follows the recent release of the Pynkiss Lookbook app for iPhone and Android as a precursor to the launch of its global online retail platform coming early 2013. Expansion into Asia comes hot on the heels of Pynkiss boutiques opening for business in the Middle East region. All of the ME region stores have reported extremely positive sales figures.

"Pynkiss sees the growth opportunities in the Asian licensing market as prosperous,” said CEO Chady Jreige.