Described as the "CEO of super-cute", Hello Kitty was created by Yuko Shimizu, a Japanese illustrator, half a century ago yesterday.
The fictional catlike character became popular in the 1970s and has remained a global phenomenon ever since, thanks to adults, children and celebrities alike.
At 50, the character continues to be loved by many, adorning numerous lines of merchandise from clothing to stationery and makeup, as well as appearing in animated series and films, comics, video games and books.
Sanrio, the Japanese company that owns the character, makes almost $4bn (£3.1bn) in Hello Kitty sales annually, according to the Economist. It is estimated she has earned her creators $80bn over her lifetime.
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