New York, NY – Ground Up International, a leading footwear company, is excited to partner with Sanrio®, the global lifestyle brand and home to Hello Kitty to kick off 2025 with the launch of an exclusive Hello Kitty high-top sneaker, available only at Kids Foot Locker. This special release brings the beloved pop culture icon to life, combining Hello Kitty’s signature charm with playful style and fashion-forward details.

Designed for both toddlers and youth fans, the new Hello Kitty high-top features cute pink iridescent vegan leather trim, a playful touch of pink glitter, and Hello Kitty’s iconic red 3D satin bow on the front. The sneaker’s unique design is completed with an iridescent Velcro patch showcasing her famous emblem, which opens to reveal adorable character artwork. The toddler sizes come with elastic laces for easy wear, making these kicks perfect for little feet on the move.

The high-top sneakers come packaged in a collector’s box that doubles as a keepsake for fans, adorned with charming details, including a nod to Hello Kitty’s measurements—five apples tall and three apples in weight. With a cut-out of Hello Kitty’s face, this packaging elevates the unboxing experience by providing a peek at the shoes inside.

Ground Up’s brand mission is to fulfill the need for fun. They provide customers the freedom to express themselves through their favorite fandoms, which aligns with Hello Kitty’s core values of friendship, kindness and inclusivity. The company is dedicated to fostering creativity and facilitating collaboration between their footwear and everyone’s favorite brands. Regardless of age, Ground Up is suitable for the entire family. The brand promises to include fashion and fun in your daily life. 

About Ground Up
Ground Up’s mission is to achieve fun and creativity in everyday life, providing their customers with the freedom to express themselves through their favorite fandoms in stylish footwear. With a strong focus quality and innovative design, Ground Up is dedicated to promoting collaborations that bring joy and fashion together. No matter what age you are, Ground Up promises to deliver fun, fashion, and a touch of fandom to your daily life.

About Sanrio®
Sanrio® is the global lifestyle brand best known for Hello Kitty® who was created in 1974, and home to many other beloved character brands such as My Melody™, Kuromi™, LittleTwinStars™, Cinnamoroll™, Pompompurin™, gudetama™, Aggretsuko™, Chococat™, Badtz-Maru™ and Keroppi™. Sanrio was founded on the philosophy that a small gift can bring happiness and friendship to people of all ages. Since 1960, this philosophy has served as the inspiration to offer quality products, services and activities that promote communication and inspire unique consumer experiences across the world. Today, Sanrio’s business extends into the entertainment industry with several content series, gaming offerings and theme parks. Sanrio boasts an extensive product lineup which is available in over 130 countries. Sanrio hopes to bring smiles to everyone’s faces with their vision of “One World, Connecting Smiles.” To learn more about Sanrio, please visit www.sanrio.com and follow @sanrio and @hellokitty on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest and subscribe to the Hello Kitty and Friends YouTube Channel.