Anime Invasion: Hello Kitty, Catwalk Cartoons, and Japan Fashion Week Cross the Ocean

Sometimes, it seems we've fallen asleep only to wake into a Technicolor world of squiggles, shout-out-loud tones, and creatures with frighteningly oversized heads. But it's no nightmare—from the catwalks of London, to local high-end eateries, to West-Coast boutiques—everything's gone a little Anime crazy. First we reported to you that the colors of clothes on the catwalks at London Fashion Week had a decidedly rainbow pop to them—reminiscent more of 2-D madcap than 3-D dress making. Then the Japanese invasion crossed the Atlantic— Thom Sacks' Hello Kitty Sculpture scared/delighted the patrons of Lever House, Opening Ceremony SoHo began to forward their favorite Japanese designers, and a small selection of Tokyo's best landed at The Altman building with Japan Fashion Week. Finally, the real Hello Kitty hitched a wagon train west and completely took over the L.A. chapter of Opening Ceremony. We love the looks. We love the trend. Hell, we love Hello Kitty! We just hope we don't wake up sometime this week with paws for hands and eyes the size of dinner plates.

Above, left to right:Japan at Opening Ceremony, Hello Kitty, Thom Sacks Hello Kitty sculpture in courtyard at Lever House.