Introduced during the Balenciaga Summer 20 runway show, the classic Ville bag has been reinterpreted as the familiar face of Hello Kitty, a character originally designed by Yuko Shimizu in 1974.
Uniquely, Hello Kitty was not originally part of any story or series, nor was she made to sell a team or product. Instead, she was made with the intent of branding merchandise such as stationery and candy. The figure has since come to symbolize the furthest reaches and power a character can achieve.
The juxtaposition between a recognizably luxurious bag like the Balenciaga Ville Top Handle and a logo as ubiquitous as Hello Kitty decontextualizes each, while a set of whiskers made from the Balenciaga Triple S shoelaces draws the product into the present world of the brand.
Balenciaga bags featuring Hello Kitty will also include the Phone Holder, the XXS Tote, the XS Camera Bag, the Top Handle in XXS, Small, and Medium, and the Mini Wallet, with or without a chain strap. The bags will all come in white, pink, or black, each with a red leather bow fastened to the top.
A selection of Balenciaga Hello Kitty products is now available to purchase in China and to pre-order on Balenciaga.com. On January 14th, the Balenciaga Hello Kitty products will be available in selected stores to be announced. On January 27th, they will be available in stores worldwide and online.