Hello Kitty x péro Fashion Show and Exhibition

October 2024 was a Hello Kitty love fest in India with a very special collaboration with the fashion label péro!  It was the perfect celebration of everything Hello Kitty and we at Dream Theatre couldn't have asked for a more befitting and wonderful homage to the Queen of Kawaii on her 50th Anniversary celebrations than having her take centre stage  with péro at the Lakmé India Opening Show 2024 followed by a 14 day experiential exhibition at 13 Barakhamba Road New Delhi. 

One of the challenges that we face in India in licensing, specially when interacting with stakeholders and decision makers, is that IPs rooted in animation, whether they are in media and entertainment or based in lifestyle, is the notion that it is meant only for children. In reality, world over and in India, there is an all out embracing by young adults / older Gen Z of all things that they grew up with. It's not nostalgia, but an intersection of nostalgia and tech, and social media which is making brands and IPs relevant in today's day and age for wider age audience, not a one size fit all solution, but as well designed and thought through  collaborations and associations that connect specific products with specific age groups powered up by licensing.  And that is how brands and IPs are finding themselves more relevant than ever before amongst an older and  more importantly, affording audience. 

And this is precisely what was on display both at the Pero x Lakme Fashion show as well as the Exhibition. Fashion show first: Aneeth Arora,  péro’s Founder and Creative Director became the toast of all things fashion and the who's who of the fashion world in India and abroad when she unveiled her Hello Pero Hello Kitty Spring Summer 2025 collection; model after model waltzed by in the most joyous of fashion shows,  dressed in 100+ eye popping awe inspiring Hello Kitty dresses, tops, tunics, jackets, pants, skirts at a bungalow decked up with thousands of Hello Kitty apples and hearts soft toys and bows. It was truly the best of  both worlds - one of the most celebrated Japanese icons envisioned by India's most coveted designers in the best of  Indian textiles ranging from Chanderi and Mashru to Southern India Silks and Benaras weaves. Press, fashionistas, celebrities and fans in India and across the world were blown away by the sheer beauty and depth and width of the collection and are waiting with bated breath for it to launch across 17 countries in February 2025. Truly a collection made in India for the world! 

And just when we thought that we had seen it all, came the most amazing, immersive, interactive 14 days Hello Kitty exhibition. Hosted at the same venue, the exhibition saw more than 15,000 people walking in and out and returning for more. On show were the best of  Pero x Hello Kitty garments, the most gifted kaarigars embroidering Hello Kitty's journey over 50 glorious years, merchandise from across the world and Aneeth Arora's personal collection, a plush room teeming with Hello Kitty plush that you could dive into, the collection's development story from textile boards to its final form, and  snacks and drinks from the Hello Kitty food van and so much more. Young and old trooped through the rooms spellbound taking it all in and happily participating in measuring their heights in apples (did you know Hello Kitty is 5 apples tall?!), coloring Hello Kitty in a room strung with crayons hanging from the ceiling, dressing her up in a costume room and pouring their love into letters to be posted to Hello Kitty. Young mothers came with daughters and didn't know who enjoyed it more; fans showed up with their Hello Kitty dolls to be photographed with Hello Kitty herself and the old seemed to have just as much fun as the young ones and kids if not more, as if Hello Kitty had unlocked the child inside them! 

And this is exactly what Hello Kitty is all about, a cross generational, international, evergreen icon that celebrates love and kindness and friendship - all things that never go out of style for people of all ages. So if you think Hello Kitty is only for kids, think again, you may be ignoring a very large affording, young, in step with the world audience at your own peril. 

For all  Hello Kitty licensing queries and to understand how Hello Kitty can  help you grow your business and reach a larger audience, contact us or write to us on dreamtheatrelicensing@gmail.com