Playboy lands Cardi B as first-ever creative director

Playboy has named American rapper Cardi B as its first-ever creative director in residence. Cardi will offer artistic direction across co-branded fashion and sexual wellness merchandise collections, digital editorial, and experiential activations, among others. She will also serve as the founding creative director and a founding member of Playboy’s upcoming creator-led platform, CENTERFOLD.

According to Playboy's parent firm, PLBY Group, its co-branded merchandise collections with Cardi will continue to expand the Group's rapidly growing direct-to-consumer fashion and sexual wellness businesses around the world. The Group's CEO, Ben Kohn, described the rapper to be "a creative genius" and the team is thrilled and honoured to bring her "immense talent and creative vision" to Playboy. 

"Through her unapologetic commitment to free expression, her dedication to lifting up artistic voices and her celebration of sex and body positivity, Cardi is the embodiment of the Playboy brand," he said. Kohn explained that he couldn't think of a better creative visionary to partner with us on the launch of CENTERFOLD.

CENTERFOLD aims to allow top creators globally to interact directly with their fans, expand their communities and build their own personal content and commerce businesses. It is expected to launch this month. From music and fashion to art and activism to adult entertainment, CENTERFOLD will leverage Playboy’s experience and aims to be a lasting, safe home for the platform’s creators and their respective fan communities.

"It is a dream come true to officially join the Playboy family. I can’t believe this is real," Cardi said. She said Playboy is truly the original platform for uncensored creativity and she is inspired by its incredible legacy of fighting for personal freedoms.

"Creators today deserve to express themselves freely and unfiltered. They deserve to feel safe in their creativity and sexuality. And they deserve to own their future. This is what CENTERFOLD is all about. For all those creators out there doing bold, revolutionary, truly culture-shifting things, come join me," Cardi added. Cardi is not the only rapper to have taken on the creative reins of a company. Rapper Swizz Beats worked with Reebok in 2011 while American Express tapped Pharrell's expertise in 2016. 

The Group posted a 67% year-over-year increase in revenue to US$58.4 million for the third quarter of 2021, despite over US$5 million of lost revenue due to COVID-19 related closures and supply chain impacts. Direct-to-consumer revenue grew 139% year-over-year, to US$36.0 million, and licensing revenue grew 14% year-over-year, to US$16.9 million.

Kohn said previously that the group has made "meaningful progress" against the three pillars of its strategic roadmap: expanding its US direct-to-consumer commerce business, optimising its licensing partnerships in key territories and categories, and driving new recurring revenue growth initiatives with a focus on innovative digital offerings, including CENTERFOLD and its NFT, Playboy Rabbitars, which was announced in October.

Paying homage to its founding year 1953, Playboy plans to release 11,953 unique Rabbitars, 3D rabbit characters, in NFT form. Inspired by Playboy’s iconography, heritage, and lore, each Rabbitar will possess unique traits - some more rare than others - and will serve as keys to a reimagined Playboy Club, giving owners access to benefits like special members-only events, merchandise, artwork, and exclusive artist collaborations. The Rabbitars were created by Playboy’s dedicated Web3 Innovation team, in partnership with Possible Studios and WENEW, the art studio and blockchain technology company co-founded by Michael Winklemann and Michael Figge.