Sony has introduced its first collaboration with Hello Kitty, releasing limited-quantity bundles that pair its Xperia 10 VIII smartphone and three headphone models with exclusive Hello Kitty accessories. The collection is sold exclusively through Sony Store channels in Singapore, where four collaboration models have been made available for pre-order.
Leading the line-up, the Xperia 10 VIII Sony x Hello Kitty Collaboration Model is priced at S$919. Across the audio options, collaboration sets for the WH-1000XM6, WH-CH730N and WH-CH530 cost S$609, S$249 and S$149 respectively, with different accessories supplied according to the device.
Four bundles pair devices with Hello Kitty accessories
Rather than altering the smartphone itself, the Xperia 10 VIII package adopts an accessory-led approach, combining the handset with a Hello Kitty tote bag and a Sony Store original Hello Kitty sacoche-style shoulder bag designed to carry the Xperia and other small items. No Hello Kitty engraving or printing is applied to the Xperia device itself. A similar accessory-led format applies to the three headphone packages. Buyers can choose the WH-1000XM6, WH-CH730N or WH-CH530, with each set including a Hello Kitty tote bag along with a Sony Store-exclusive Hello Kitty pouch designed for the device and personal belongings.
Beyond the collaboration merchandise, the Xperia 10 VIII is available in Frozen White, Frosted Grey and Misty Lilac. Sony says its display is approximately 50% brighter than the Xperia 10 VII, while enhanced stereo speakers provide clearer and more powerful sound, greater overall volume and stronger bass. The handset also incorporates a “Rewards & Pay” menu that provides quick access to frequently used payment and rewards apps through a double press of the power button. Google features listed for the Xperia 10 VIII include Gemini, Circle to Search and Ask Photos, while Sony rates the device for up to two days of battery life under its stated test conditions.
Sony designed the accessories for everyday use
The collaboration originated with Sony exploring ways to introduce its products to people who do not typically interact with the brand. Identifying younger generations and women as groups that may not have formed part of its traditional audience, Sony’s planning team saw Sanrio’s established fan base and connections with those audiences as a potential fit. That objective guided the choice of merchandise. Noting that its products already form part of daily routines involving music, photography, communication and entertainment, Sony’s planning team developed the pouch, sacoche and tote as items customers could carry regularly alongside their devices.
Design work centred on balancing Hello Kitty’s character styling with Sony’s simple and minimalist design language. Citing established design principles such as its black-and-silver visual identity and an emphasis on horizontal and vertical balance, Sony placed Hello Kitty elements within a structured “frame code” rather than distributing them freely across the products. The headphone pouch required additional testing and refinement. Sony’s designers sought to preserve Hello Kitty’s recognisable shape while providing a comfortable fit for compatible headphones, using repeated prototyping to refine the size, shape and smaller details.
Sanrio’s designer described the embroidered Hello Kitty fabric as a fresh and unusual treatment compared with previous Sanrio character merchandise. The design was intended to retain Hello Kitty’s familiar character while giving the products a refined appearance that adults could incorporate into everyday use. Accompanying the line-up, the “Hello, Sony.” key visual portrays the first moment in which Hello Kitty encounters Sony. Sony’s design team said it deliberately used negative space to maintain each brand’s visual identity, while the scene depicts Hello Kitty playing with alphabet building blocks as Sony enters that familiar setting.
Singapore sales are exclusive to Sony Store channels
To showcase the range, Sony has created a dedicated space at its 313@somerset store where customers can view the products in person and use a collaboration-themed photo wall. Separate from the S$919 collaboration package, the Xperia 10 VIII carries a suggested retail price of S$799 and is available from 6 October 2026. An early-bird promotion running from 6 October to 4 November 2026 also includes a matching Xperia 10 VIII case and Linkbuds Clip Truly Wireless Headphones with every Xperia 10 VIII purchase, subject to terms and conditions.
