Here are some facts on this adorable Sanrio character:

Hello Kitty was the product of the design mind of Ikuko Shimizu for Sanrio, who was asked to design a character who would appeal to the "preteen" girl in everyone. It was originally intended for a plastic coin purse that they were about to produce.

Sanrio launched Hello Kitty as a character on November 1, 1974.

Although she is a popular Japanese icon, she lives outside of London with her father George White, her mother Mary White and twin sister Mimmy White.

Her real name is Kitty White.

To distinguish her from her twin sister, just look at their bows. Mimmy opts for yellow on her right and Kitty a red bow on her left ear.

Today Hello Kitty is a branding icon it itself. You can find her on various products and clothing lines.