Amazing Apps: Lotty Dotty and Talking Tom

Lotty Dotty recently launched its new line, Talking Friends, a collaboration with the multi-billion dollar mobile app Talking Tom. Inspired by playing dress up with paper dolls, owners Shevanne Helmer and Maya Persaud created Lotty Dotty in 2009.  Together Helmer and Persaud designed and patented a line of T-shirts featuring screen printed doll figures, that can be dressed interchangeably with Velcro-backed designer mini-outfits. 
 

The Talking Friends app is owned by Outfit 7. Tonth, Talking Tom and Talking Tom 2 have become two of the most popular apps of all time. The popular app, which is on record with 2 billion downloads since its launch, features six characters - Talking Tom, Talking Angela, Talking Ginger, Talking Ben, Talking Pierre and Talking Gina; each character stars in a total of fourteen apps.

The Talking Tom app also partnered with Disney Interactive, creating a series of web shorts and has become popular on YouTube for their music videos featuring the Talking Tom characters.

Lotty Dotty will be producing T-shirts that come complete with a printed Talking Friends figure and a range of Velcro-backed outfits so that Talking Friends enthusiasts can create a different design on their top every day.

The Talking Friends collection will be available on the Lotty Dotty website in January 2015 and in stores on February 2015.

I had a chance to interview founder Maya Persaud to learn more.

What was the inspiration for the original shirts?

Paper dolls that we played with as kids. We wanted to create clothing that kids could have fun with. 

Why the decision to partner with Talking Tom?

Talking Friends is modern. It is the 2nd most downloaded App ever and they have adorable characters. We also have a huge demand for apparel for little boys. Talking Friends was just perfect!

What are the features of the app?

All 6 characters that we are featuring on our shirts have interactive Apps-Talking Pierre, Talking Gina, Talking Tom, Talking Ben, Talking Angela, Talking Ginger. Talking Tom, the most famous, is your pet cat, that responds to your touch and repeats everything you say with a funny voice.You can pet him, poke him or grab his tail.

Who is the target of the new t-shirt line?

Boys and girls ages 3 and up.