The world's only Playboy Club resides on the 52nd floor of the Palms Hotel & Casino, in Las Vegas, NV. Once a thriving, global "adult" venue, the Playboy Club set the stage for the most recognizable symbol of the sexual revolution-the Playboy Bunny. Read on to discover the significant impact and to learn more about one of the world's most successful examples of brand recognition.
History
The Playboy Bunnies came into being when the first Playboy Club was opened at 116 E. Walton St, in Chicago, Illinois on February 29, 1960. Fashioned after The Gaslight Club, an exclusive key club for Chicago elite, and its corset-clad, fishnet-wearing cocktail waitresses, the Playboy Club introduced its own brand of waitress--the Playboy Bunny.
The originality of the Bunny, combined with the class and elegance of the Playboy Club kept worldwide patrons, coming back for many years. There was something special about a place that offered fine dining, intoxicating beauty of the Bunnies and spectacular entertainment from celebrity performers such as Milton Berle, George Carlin, Ray Charles, Peggy Lee, Jay Leno, Better Midler and many more over the Playboy Club's history.
In the late 70's however, with the sexual revolution in full swing, audiences were seeking less elegance and more interaction. Men wanted to go out to meet women, not just to admire them from afar. Clubs, discotheques and private parties began to draw a wider audience, leaving the "old-fashioned" Playboy Clubs in the dust. After nearly a decade of declining interest in the Playboy Club, gradually all original clubs were shut down. The last U.S. club in Lansing, Michigan closed in 1988. The last international club in Manila closed its doors in 1991. However, this iconic venture had not taken its last breath. In 2006, at the Palms Hotel and Casino, in Las Vegas, NV, the second generation of Playboy Club and Playboy Bunny were unleashed on the 52nd floor.
Identification
The original Bunny costume, originally concocted by Ilsa Laurins, girlfriend of Playboy Promotions Director, Victor Lownes, showed just enough skin to be sexy, yet visually demonstrated Hugh Hefner's "Look, but don't touch" policy. Perfected in 1962 by French seamstress, Renee Blot, a bowtie collar and cuffs were added, along with increasing the corset's cup size to "D". Several minor revisions were made over the years, to heighten the leg openings, perfect the corset shape and improve functionality. The first redesign in 50 years, for the opening of the Palms Playboy Club in 2006, by Roberto Cavalli, was simply a modernization of the original 1960's costume.
All Bunnies were required to wear nude-colored stockings so that skin tone was similar, no matter the race of the girl sporting the ears. The rosette name tags were always worn on the right hip so that seated patrons had only to look at eye level to see the name of their Bunny. Ribbons were attached to each costume to hold their pens and pen lights. While the original satin costume came in 12 colors, the most coveted was the black bunny suit, considered to be the most elegant. Eventually only those with top seniority, or excellence of service were granted the right to wear the black suit.
Features
The purpose of the Playboy Bunny was to be pleasing to the eye of club patrons. Therefore, several characteristics were standard necessities for anyone wishing to become a Bunny. These included:
- Appearance: While there were no strict guidelines with regards to height, weight, or bra size, a Bunny needed to be physically attractive, and slender. Maintaining weight, hairstyles, complexion and manicures are all part of keeping up the role.
- Attitude: Bunnies most have a sociable, congenial and pleasing demeanor. After all, patrons attend the Playboy Club, in part, to enjoy the company of lovely, friendly Bunnies.
- Age: The typical hiring age of a Playboy Bunny ranged from 18 to 24 in the original clubs. With stricter laws in place today, the minimum age is 21. Although the typical employment stint lasted 6 months, some Bunnies kept their jobs for 10 years or more, as long as their appearance, attitude and job performance continued to meet the standards set by Hugh Hefner.
Types
The first generation of Playboy Bunnies took on numerous roles within the club, including:
- Floor Bunny
- Door Bunny
- Cigarette Bunny
- Jet Bunny (serving on the Playboy jet)
The current position of Playboy Bunny can include the following functions:
- Cocktail Server Bunnies
- Dealer Bunnies
- Bartender Bunnies
All Bunnies hired during the original heyday of the Playboy Club underwent rigorous training, and were under the direct guidance of each club's Bunny Mother. There were, and are, strict guidelines with regards to behavior, appearance and job performance, including being able to perform the required Bunny maneuvers such as the Bunny Perch, Bunny Dip and Bunny Stance.
Misconceptions
The main misconception surrounding Playboy Bunnies is that they might serve in any other capacity than waitress or hostess at a Playboy Club. Not only did a Bunny not provide any form of sexual services, such as prostitution, a Bunny was not permitted to date a Playboy Club Keyholder.
Another misleading notion is that all Playboy Bunnies were well-endowed. This misconception was created because of the singular sizing of the costume, which utilized foam rubber in the construction of the bra cups which were all made for a size "D" cup. Most Bunnies had to resort to stuffing their corsets in order to completely fill out the costume, using anything from rolled up socks to cut up bunny tails.
Significance
The Playboy Bunny has become an unforgettable part of pop culture, and served to bring adult-themed entertainment to a more respectable level by playing up the fantasy aspect. The Playboy Bunny represents the "safer" side of the adult entertainment industry, and over time has come to be seen as cute and lovable versus immoral and distasteful. Several women who would later become famous for other talents, such as Lauren Hutton, Sherilyn Fenn, Jackie Zeman, and Deborah Harry, all worked as Playboy Bunnies. Renowned Feminist, Gloria Steinem also sported bunny ears as part of a journalistic assignment.
In addition to shining a more favorable light on portions of the adult entertainment industry, the position of Playboy Bunny afforded many women the opportunity to make a substantial income, including benefits, quite unheard of during the 60's and 70's. Hugh Hefner also created an atmosphere of equal opportunity employment by never turning away an applicant based upon her nationality or the color of her skin. He would even go so far as to revoke the membership of any Keyholder who did not agree with his employment policy.
Expert Insight
The Bunny costume is one of the most significant representations of women in American culture in the 20th century," says Jacqueline M. Bell, marketing director for the Women's Museum.
Pat Lacey, Director of Playmate and Bunny Promotions for Playboy and a 13-year veteran of the L.A. Club notes: "A lot of thought went into this costume. There are so many things that people don't realize that were really thought out so that a Bunny could perform her job very easily and at the same time remain glamorous and graceful."
