Playboy Archive Launch Party

Playboy recently made all of its archives available electronically and in celebration it invited a bunch of folks to a party at Partners & Spades, a studio in lower Manhattan. The walls were covered with framed posters of centerfolds from days gone by and there were also cases filled with vintage memorabilia, like bunny tails and playing cards. The ladies back then were of course gorgeous and their racks amazing, but clearly beauty standards have evolved, from the bushy, heavily airbrushed (though not photoshopped), and softer looks of yore to current Playmates, who tend to be more toned and waxed (though I do believe we’re post-peak on that trend) and whose breasts are generally bubblier and seem to perch a lot higher on their frames.  Alas, from then ’til now, Playboy shows very little love for ladies of color….though of course there is good and bad to that equation.

See more images on the next page, including Madonna’s cover and Naomi Campbell’s centerfold.