Hello Kitty may be a children’s cartoon character. But the newly renovated Sanrio Luxe boutique in New York’s Times Square – home of the Hello Kitty brand line – is anything but childish. After closing the original store for several weeks, Sanrio unveiled a 1200-square-foot mecca of everything Hello Kitty in a blue, black and white palette.

“The idea was to communicate exclusivity and luxuriousness,” says Tracy Beckmann, the Los Angeles-based interior designer who designed the store and created its entire fixture package.

Bejeweled Pez dispensers, cashmere gloves, even a $30,000 diamond pendant rest on glossy display tables, black and white cabinets and glass cases. Crown molding on cabinets and patterned black wallpaper give the store an extra boost of luxury. Light-blue fixture bases echo the blue ceiling, which Beckmann chose as a backdrop for the jet-black chandeliers. 

Project Suppliers

Client
Sanrio Inc., South San Francisco, Calif.

Design
Tracy Beckmann Design, Los Angeles; Tracy Beckmann, principal/owner

General Contractor
M. Cary Inc., Farmingdale, N.Y.

Outside Design Consultant
Fernando Bracer Design, Los Angeles (architectural and design)

Fixtures, Signage/Graphics
Mike and Mike Custom Carpentry, Canton, Ohio

Flooring
Fritz Tile, Mesquite, Texas

Furniture
Tracy Beckmann Design, Los Angeles

Wallcoverings and Materials
Osbourne and Little, Los Angeles

Photography                                                                                                                              Jennifer Graylock, New York