Cooking supplies, clothes, lunchboxes, games, a television show, and other fashion accessories - is there anything Hello Kitty doesn't do? Originating in Japan in 1974 with their signature vinyl coin purse, Hello Kitty quickly made its way to the United States in 1976. Today, the Hello Kitty line pulls in over a billion dollar annually, and you can find Hello Kitty stores and boutiques all over the world.

When it comes to clothes, you've probably seen the Hello Kitty line, even if you've never purchased or wore anything from the brand. The trademark symbol of the line is a white cat adoring the front of handbags, t-shirts, and more. Girls from their toddler years to well into their adult lives purchase clothes from the Hello Kitty line, and the fashions continue to evolve to meet today's fashion-conscious needs.

Last April, the Hello Kitty spokes model - the short, white cat adorned in red - needed a makeover. This popular cat character was featured in an issue of Japanese Vogue, where she was dressed in the latest autumn and winter designs by mega-popular designers like John Galliano and Dior. This is the first time in history that any highly noted fashion designer has joined with a cartoon character to boost fashion's profile, but it seemed to have the desired effect. Not that Hello Kitty was suffering from any decline in sales, but the makeover helped to boost the brand by getting the name back in the spotlight.

Hello Kitty took their fun-loving and whimsical brand of design to the runway a few years ago. Instead of designing simple, cartoon-like t-shirts for young girls to enjoy (based on the popular Japanese cartoon), Hello Kitty indulged in high-end shoes, handbags, and adult clothing designs. The Hello Kitty wedding dress, tank tops, pajamas, and even lingerie has exploded on the global scene.

In Sweden recently, famed fashion designer Bea Szenfeld added a boost to the Hello Kitty line by redesigning much of the clothing to meet a more modern taste. She partnered up with Almedahls, a fabrics and interior design company, and together unveiled a large number or newly designed items. This new and anticipated line of clothing products (also some textile products) isn't set to debut on a global scale until the spring of 2009. However, many Hello Kitty fans are already placing their order for the items, sight unseen.

A testament to Hello Kitty's niche's power is the unwavering support offered by the girls and women around the globe who are willing to purchase the clothing without knowing what types of changes have been made to the entire line. It is reported that various changes have occurred in the fabric, shape, and other design aspects, but that the original Hello Kitty symbol has been left untouched. Fans of the little white cat with the pink hat will be pleased that no harm has come to their mascot.