Behind the designer of Pink Head… Tarina Tarantino
www.tarinatarantino.com

Factio Magazine: How long have you been a Hello Kitty fan?
Tarina Tarantino: I started collecting in 1976. I found her in a small kiosk the Bullock's Wilshire store, which is now long gone. They had a very small selection in the children's department. One of my first purchases was a snap top coin purse and some pencils. Something about her just made a connection with me, and I have been a collector ever since.

FM: What made you decide to create the "Pink Head" collection?
TT: Laura Takaragawa from Sanrio in Los Angeles called me one day and asked
if we could meet. She had seen my web site and noticed that I was a fan and
collector of Hello Kitty, and came up with the idea to do a co-branding project with us. I was so excited, but felt challenged by the fact that Sanrio had already produced almost every type of Hello Kitty Jewelry you could imagine. I really wanted to re-style Hello Kitty in my way, and put her on pieces of jewelry that she would wear. It was very important to create something that would appeal to the Hello Kitty collector. There is a lot of Hello Kitty product in the marketplace, so the challenge was to do something really unique. "Pink Head" is a manifestation of all things that I love combined with Hello Kitty and topped of with my favorite hair color...Fuchsia!!!

FM: What is this surge in popularity with all things Hello Kitty?
TT:Hmmm... It’s interesting, but I think it is for many reasons. The
trendy stylish Japanese street culture has become very influential in
fashion. Lots of designers get inspiration from Japan,
because the kids there are style mavericks and are very passionate
about the way they dress. Hello Kitty is everywhere in Japan. There are even Hello Kitty themed restaurants and amusement parks. In Japan it’s not unusual to see a taxi driver with Hello Kitty dangling from his rearview mirror. Anime has also had a huge impact in the fashion world, like Murakami working with Louis Vuitton. So, it only seems natural that people would become more interested in Hello Kitty. For me, she has always been a part of my life, so when people say "Wow, Hello Kitty is really popular now" I think to myself, "wasn't she always"?

FM: Why do you feel 20 to 30-something adults love this brand?
TT: For the same reason that 12-year-old girls love her, it’s because she is
irresistibly cute. The Sanrio motto is "Small Gift, Big Smile", and its really that simple. There are legions of girls and boys that grew up with Hello Kitty and are still avid collectors. When you see someone wearing Hello Kitty, it instantly says something about their personality. Hello Kitty has a special appeal, and people who love her understand what that is. It’s something that is hard to describe but it’s just a feeling you get. The Pink Head collection was designed with the "nostalgic Hello Kitty girl" in mind. We are the girls who will never outgrow our love for Hello Kitty.

For more on Tarintino’s amazing collection visit www.tarinatarantino.com for a look inside of the designer – what she loves, the man that helped her make it happen, her Willy Wonka-esque studio, getting through humble beginnings to an ultra-successful business, her unique wedding and of course to shop!!!