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Japan Invades Midtown Until November, Our Inner Hello Kitty Fan Rejoices

Japanese shoes!Photo: Melissa Hom


At one point in our young lives we would have sworn up and down that Hello Kitty was Japan’s greatest export EVER, but as we’ve gotten older our tastes have sort of matured — i.e., now we would totally buy a bottle of sake shaped like our favorite feline. So we eagerly marched on over to the Japan C showcase at midtown’s Felissimo Design House. The design fair–trade show–art exhibition hybrid includes wares from more than 70 established Japanese firms, spanning food, beauty, gadgets, home and fashion accessories and various pop-culture trinkets. Now through November 1, each week will feature a different theme focusing on a specific aesthetic, like “High Design” or “Design at Play,” during which a selection of items from each grouping will be available for sale. (Definitely stop by on Mondays to get the best selection.) Even if you’re not in the market for the world’s smallest grand piano, you’ll probably covet Miyazaki’s organic cotton scarves, Mind Wave’s quirky high-end stationery, or Passo Co.’s leather moccasins, dyed with organic wine. Prices range from about $7 for a key chain to $200,000 for a dress (gulp), and most items are expected to sell out quickly. See more images after the jump.

Photo: Melissa Hom

Photo: Melissa Hom

Photo: Melissa Hom

Runs through Nov. 1. Felissimo Design House, 10 W. 56th St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 800-247-5655.

Japan Invades Midtown Until November, Our Inner Hello Kitty Fan Rejoices