Playboy Tries to Make Their Clothes Retro Cool Again

Moving away from the t-shirts with those ubiquitous bunny ears, Playboy has teamed up with the brand Hysteric Clothing to release a line of retro clothes – in Japan.

While this alliance might seem puzzling, the new clothing line fits perfectly with Playboy’s continued attempt to restore class to their brand. The clothes “feature vintage photographs of Playboy Bunnies and brand iconography,” a press release from Playboy reads. “In a celebration of Playboy’s upcoming 60th Anniversary, the line pays homage to the brand’s heritage and Magazine roots,” demonstrated through a party held last week in Tokyo attended by Playboy bunnies in vintage garb celebrating the launch of the clothing line. Playboy says that the clothes will be available in the U.S. in December, essentially allowing Japan to act as a soft launch for them to test the waters on these products.

The clothes are more expensive than the ones Playboy has been known for, retailing for $100 to $1000, but some of the designs aren’t that far off from what you could buy from Playboy in the 60s and 70s. The change in price point is interesting, given that slapping their logo on everything from belly chains to sweatpants was what kept the company’s profits up during the 90s and early oughts. That doesn’t mean there won’t be t-shirts; the Hysteric Clothing tees are just a little more American Apparel than they have been in the past, similar to the ones that the company sells as part of their higher-end Black Label brand. The decision to shy away from the bunny ears in some of the clothes – or at least reinterpret them – seems almost along the lines of the one Louis Vuitton recently made about their logo that was once plastered everywhere in America.

“The collaboration with Hysteric Glamour features the Playboy brand seamlessly through a marriage of industrial and pop-driven designs and a distinctive street wear vibe,” says Playboy. Yes, because when you think of Playboy you think “street wear.” Well, maybe you will now. Street wear is cool, and Playboy really wants to be cool again.