Playboy Men#039;s Launches at Bloomingdale#039;s
Lifestyle enthusiast Hugh Hefner will make an appearance Dec. 6 at Bloomingdale’s in Los Angeles’ Century City Shopping Center to promote the debut of Playboy’s men’s underwear and loungewear line.Bloomingdale’s, a division of Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores, is the first department store to carry the line, which will showcase at 15 locations nationwide, including in New York, Chicago, Aventura, Fla., and Beverly Center in Los Angeles.
Gadzooks, Hot Topic and other specialty stores started selling the line last year, said Lori Carty, brand manager of the product marketing division at Chicago-based Playboy Enterprises Inc. Other department stores will follow suit later this year, she added.
“We saw a lot of synergies with Bloomingdale’s,” Carty said. “They have the same positioning as we do—a focus on the good life and high-quality brands. We feel that they make a great partner.”
Added Dana Rosenberg, Bloomingdale’s director of public relations in Los Angeles, “We’re always looking for something new and hot and Playboy’s menswear line is a wonderful addition to our store.”
The line, aimed at 18- to 34-year-old men, consists of boxers, briefs, pajamas and robes crafted from cotton and silk. Conversational prints, lameacute;, all-over magazine cover patterns, rabbit heads and glow-in-the-dark looks are among the design features of the items. Price points range from $15 for a set of two packaged Playboy briefs to $113 for silk Jacquard pants and a matching robe.
Playboy’s vast archival materials and Hefner’s extensive collection of nightwear helped provide the inspiration for the line, according to Brad Egna, president of the line’s licensee, Briefly Stated.
On Dec. 15, the line’s promotion rollout begins with a gift-with-purchase program at Bloomingdale’s, supported by Playboy’s marketing efforts through its magazine, Web site, cable station and its on-campus college parties.
Flanked by his five girlfriends and two Playboy Playmates, Hefner will sign autographs and chat with guests at the launch event, which will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. —N.S.-M.
