Playboy rebrands Playmates, Bunnies in 'respectful' makeover: 'THOUGHTFULNESS TO NUDITY'
· Toronto Sun
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Playboy is breathing new life into its Playmates and Bunnies, as the magazine modernizes the brand with a new take on nudity, and aims to appeal to men and women.
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Sexy, right?
Given its nearly 75 years in existence, Playboy has proven it knows “the art of the erotic and portraying the art of desire,” Phillip Picardi, its new editor-in-chief and chief brand officer, told Press Gazette . But it is also so much more, he insisted.
“There’s always been a difference between Playboy and porn, especially the kinds of porn that are really prevalent today and that people have access to just by having a Twitter account or a Reddit account,” he explained.
“And so I actually found the challenge of bringing back an artfulness and a thoughtfulness to nudity to be super exciting as a creative.”
Who has made the cover so far?
The second issue of the relaunched quarterly mag — which features actress-model Cara Delevingne wearing only a latex corset — was released last week.
A larger print run is planned this time around after its first issue spotlighting Colombian pop star Karol G sold out, according to the Press Gazette.
Playboy will continue showcasing Playmates of the month, but Picardi, the magazine’s first openly gay EIC, insisted that they and other cover stars are in control of how much of their bodies they expose, and the models who do appear nude are “fully involved” in the creative process, including having approval over photographers and stylists.
“I stop short of calling what we do at Playboy feminist, because I think that’s a loaded term, and I’m sure many people would disagree with that qualification,” Picardi said.
“But what I will say is what our approach with nudity has always been: That it is up to a woman how much she has to show on set… when we make sure that the permission lies with the woman herself, we’re always surprised that she feels very liberated to make the calls and do what she wants to do, which is often showing more than we expected or thought of.”
Picardi added: “There just is an authenticity and a rawness to the images that I’ve gotten really good feedback about. Not just from men, but outstanding feedback from women.”
Reviving the past storytelling
The relaunch is focused on restoring the storytelling that once drove Playboy’s influence while expanding the brand across digital, social media and videos.
Picardi and David Miller, Playboy’s president of media and brand, were hired earlier this year to resuscitate the company’s media operations after the original print publication ended in 2020.
Playboy reported US$120.9 million in revenue during 2025, up 4% from the previous year, narrowing its net loss to $12.7 million from $79.4 million in 2024, Press Gazette reported.
In 1953, Hugh Hefner founded Playboy and turned it into one of the most iconic publications ever, bringing in fans with nude centrefolds but keeping them around for its renowned journalism and celebrity interviews.
The year 2015 marked the beginning of the end when the magazine dropped nudity .
It was brought back in 2017, but two years later Playboy shifted to a quarterly publication before ceasing regular print production in 2020.
Miller pointed out they want to make the brand “respectful” and “modern,” and “feel like it’s inviting and inclusive for all individuals.”
Picardi added it would will be a similar take on the original publication, “done in a new way, but it feels familiar.”