Hello Kitty is one of those unique brands that never seems to go out of style and manages to appeal just as much to 3 year olds and 13 year olds as it does to the 30 year old set. One way it stays hip and popular is pairing cute with sophistication, a combination that seems irresistible to fans. To celebrate the brand's 35th birthday this year Sanrio is putting out something for everyone; the young, the young at heart and those who view Hello Kitty as art.

For those in the teen or tween set there is the sparkly Hello Kitty music player. This electronic gadget is decorated with 300 Swarovski crystal elements and shaped in the traditional Hello Kitty face. A second option is the Limited Edition pendant set. Again this is a collaboration between the D. Swarovski Co. of Wattens, Austria and features five crystal studded pendants each accented with a different color to match your mood or your outfit. Although at a price of $6,000 for the set I'm not sure that this jewelry collection isn't more appropriate for some of the slightly more mature Hello Kitty fans.

Another collaboration launched to celebrate the 35th Anniversary is a Judith Leiber bag collection. The line includes a "Retro Kitty" curved oval clutch, the "Pink Tulip" airstream, new "Hobo" style with silver handle shown above which will retail for $3995. These items are definitely a nod to those customers who have been fans of the Hello Kitty brand since its inception 35 years ago.

For those more artistically inclined there is the Three Apples art exhibit in Los Angeles, California curated by Jamie Rivadeneira the owner of Japan L.A. at the Royal/T space. The event is free of charge and over 80 artists display their Hello Kitty inspired pieces through November 15, 2009. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the art will benefit Sanrio's charitable partner LA Works a non-profit organization that promotes community volunteerism.

What better way to celebrate the birth of a feline icon than to dress her up like royalty and showcase her cuteness on a deck of solid gold playing cards? That's what Japanese company Sanrio has done with their 54-card deck of 99.99 percent gold cards. Each card measures 58 x 89 mm and features Kitty herself on the royal face cards. Contrary to popular belief, Hello Kitty was born in London, not Japan. To honor her birthplace, the flip side of the card features her posing proudly with a Union Jack in the shape of an apple. $4900.

Sanrio is putting out a special Hello Kitty for the holiday shopping season. The figurine - and there is only one available - stand 2 1/4 inches high and weighs about 20 pounds. It is made of platinum and has seven jewel pendants that are made of rubies, pink sapphires and diamonds. The Hello Kitty will be offered for sale at the Mitsukoshi's flagship department store in Tokyo this Tuesday. The asking price is around $150,000.

[via spluch]

The name Sanrio is usually associated with Hello Kitty, but perhaps now it will also be associated with another girly product: fembots. A Sanrio subsidiary, Kokoro, created and refined the Actroid DER2. She has a much wider range of motion and expression than the previous DER model, and her lip movements coordinate surprisingly well with her speech. Unfortunately, she has to be pre-programmed with things to say and motions, so she won't really be able to interact with you, but you can still rent her for about $3,500 per week (400,000 yen) if you're interested in taking her - and possibly her tech support people - for a spin.

[via boingboing]