MAC’s teaming up with Hello Kitty for a winter collection of make-up and random accessories including key chains, bracelets and tote bags.
There will be two separate cosmetic collections, Hello Kitty Colour Collection and for the brand’s more mature customer, Hello Kitty Kouture because they need to reel in the kids who have an extra twenty bucks to spend on lipgloss as well as the moms who’ll spend $90 on something called Sheer Mystery Powder that comes in a white Swarovksi crystal Hello Kitty compact with a pink bow, (assuming they exist).
Though fashion’s had an awkward relationship with Hello Kitty for some time, see Japanese Vogue May 2007, it always seemed more like a silly joke than an actual marketing ploy, like Star Von Bunny but recognizable to those outside the industry.
Will women above the age of thirteen really spend a lot of money, (because the price points for this partnership are significantly higher than MAC’s usual), for “glitter eyeliners because she loves anything that twinkles?” She, of course, is Hello Kitty, whom you probably think is a cat but is actually “the face of a girl without a mouth, [who] speaks from the heart.”
And if you think that’s strange, Nick Knight shot the counter visuals featuring blonde models with black vinyl Hello Kitties for an overall “dominatrix” look which we suppose is meant to reel in an entirely different customer.
MAC’s 2007 Barbie collection sold out in minutes, almost, so our sarcasm is probably unwarranted and the collaboration will surely fly off shelves despite the tanking economy and despite WWD’s weak outlook on beauty sales and despite the Swarovski crystal overload.
Though we’ll never understand how or why.
