Saddle Up, Partner: Latest Retrospekt x Hello Kitty Collab Goes Western

Dec 02, 2024

Jeremy Gray

A vintage toy camera with colorful cartoon animal stickers hangs from a strap, set against a blurred outdoor background with horses in the distance.

Milwaukee-based Retrospekt reignited its relationship with Sanrio for a new Hello Kitty collaboration. This time, Retrospekt and Sanrio are back in the saddle for the Hello Kitty “Howdy Partner” collection, comprising a trio of new analog photography products, including a 35mm film camera.

Like the adorable Hello Kitty “Strawberry Kawaii” collection Retrospekt launched last year and the tomatoes-themed (yes, tomatoes) Hello Kitty mashup that debuted in June, the Howdy Partner collection includes an FC-11 35mm film camera.

A Hello Kitty-themed camera with a pink and white design and a small unicorn graphic is placed next to a pink fringed case. They are resting on some hay in what appears to be a barn setting. — The Retrospekt x Sanrio Hello Kitty “Howdy Partner” collection includes an FC-11 camera, a new themed camera bag, and custom 35mm film.

A pink Hello Kitty-themed camera with cartoon illustrations is resting on a pile of straw in a wooden barn. The camera has a blue wrist strap attached.

The FC-11, this time adorned in Hello Kitty in a cowgirl costume, horses, and lassos, is a simple-use analog camera. It sports a built-in fixed-focus 31mm f/9 pancake lens and works with ISO 200 and 400 film. The camera’s shutter speed is locked to a relatively versatile 1/120 of a second. It is a rather straightforward point-and-shoot film camera, albeit an especially cute one. Retrospekt describes the Howdy Partner FC-11 as “prairie-chic.”

A pink Hello Kitty-themed analog camera with decorative illustrations, including a horse, cactus, and Hello Kitty in a cowgirl outfit. It features a red shutter button and a blue wrist strap. — The FC-11 features a built-in 31mm f/9 fixed focus lens and has a fixed shutter speed of 1/120 of a second.

Joining the camera is a new roll of themed 35mm film. What sets this ISO 400 film, which comes in 24-exposure rolls, apart from typical film is that each frame comes with a pre-exposed border featuring Hello Kitty and her friends, Keroppi, Chococat, Cinnamorroll, My Melody, and Kuromi, all donning western-themed gear to fit the collection’s motif.

A split image featuring a Ferris wheel against a blue sky on the left and an ice cream stand with flags on the right. Overlay of whimsical cartoon drawings and cloud patterns.

A small rectangular box on a bed of hay featuring Hello Kitty and Friends branding. The box is for color 35mm film with 24 exposures and 400 ISO. The text on the box mentions "Every photo has a border!" and shows Hello Kitty's image.

Rounding out the three-product series is a new Howdy Partner camera bag. Like the FC-11 and the new 35mm film, the camera bag embraces all things cute and western. The red and pink camera bag features white fringe and snap buttons.

A small pink and red Hello Kitty crossbody bag with white fringe, hanging on a wooden fence. The background is slightly blurred, showing trees and a horse.

Pricing and Availability

The Retrospekt x Hello Kitty “Howdy Partner” collection is a limited-edition offering available starting today from both Sanrio’s website and Retrospekt’s online store. The FC-11 camera is available for $59, while a 24-shot roll of the custom film is $18. The new camera bag is available in all its fringed glory for $29.

Image credits: Sanrio Co. Ltd. / Retrospekt