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Playboy and Hello Kitty come together in an unholy Leica union

Playboy and Hello Kitty come together in an unholy Leica union

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Leica is no stranger to putting out expensive limited edition cameras, but its latest is likely to turn more than a few heads. The Leica C — itself essentially a rebranded Panasonic LF1 — has been emblazoned with two iconic and wildly incongruous brands: Hello Kitty and Playboy. It features a winking Hello Kitty with Playboy bunny ears holding a camera.

"People thought I was crazy, but now everyone agrees they look amazing together."

The camera is on sale now at French retailer Colette, alongside a whole range of Hello Kitty x Playboy products including temporary tattoos and iPhone cases. It costs €920 ($1,264), over twice as much as the Panasonic equivalent, and is limited to ten units.

The Japanese kawaii mascot would seem a somewhat inappropriate fit for Hugh Hefner's soft-porn empire, but the range has been created to mark the 40th and 60th birthdays of Hello Kitty and Playboy, respectively. "People thought I was crazy, but now everyone agrees they look amazing together," said Colette founder Sarah Andelman, in comments reported by Style.com. "I believe that opposites attract," agrees Carven designer Guillaume Henry. "They're both icons, but they have nothing in common. I'm always more intrigued by a couple's differences than similarities, so I love the whole idea of 'sexy kawaii.'"