Delevingne's Historic Playboy Moment
Cara Delevingne graces Playboy cover, makes history as openly lesbian icon embracing body and art
Anonymous
Key Points
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The Playboy shoot was photographed by Zoey Grossman and styled by Lana Jay Lackey, with the production described as driven by a predominantly female, largely queer creative team.
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Beyond the latex corset, the spread includes multiple looks such as a plunging latex peplum corset worn without bottoms on the cover, plus a lace red lingerie set and a classic bunny ensemble with ears and a tail.
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The interview emphasizes her identity as an openly out lesbian on Playboy’s print cover, noting Kehlani’s digital cover in 2021 as a point of reference for LGBTQ+ representation on the brand’s platforms.
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TMZ highlights that this marks the first Playboy Bunny Suit appearance on the cover since Kate Moss in 2014, underscoring the historical angle of the moment.
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Delevingne has said she is gearing up to release her debut album next month and had originally planned to release the music anonymously.
Cara Delevingne has landed on the cover of Playboy's summer 2026 issue wearing little more than a latex corset by Atsuko Kudo — and she's calling it a reclaiming of her body. Page Six reports this marks the first time an openly lesbian woman has appeared on Playboy's print cover, a historic moment for the nearly 70-year-old magazine.
The shoot features multiple looks, including a plunging latex peplum corset worn without bottoms on the cover, a lace red lingerie set, and a classic bunny ensemble with ears and a tail. Yahoo notes the issue also includes a candid interview covering her identity, sobriety, and her upcoming debut album.
A Queer, Female-Led Team Behind the Lens
The shoot was photographed by Zoey Grossman and styled by Lana Jay Lackey. Delevingne says the production was driven by a predominantly female, largely queer creative team. For her, that made all the difference. She described the project as a "rebellion" against Playboy's historically heterosexual framing, according to The Sun.
Delevingne pointed to Kehlani's 2021 digital Playboy cover as an earlier moment of LGBTQ+ representation for the brand. But she says her print cover pushes that further. "This is my prime," she said, framing the moment as one of full ownership over her body and sexuality, per Page Six.
First Bunny Suit on the Cover Since Kate Moss in 2014
One of the shoot's looks brings back a Playboy classic. Delevingne wore the iconic bunny suit — ears, corset, and tail included. The Sun UK notes this is the first time the bunny suit has appeared on a Playboy cover since Kate Moss wore it in 2014, adding another layer of historic significance to the spread.
The visible tattoos throughout the shoot were intentional. Delevingne said she wanted every image to reflect who she actually is — not a polished, sanitized version of herself. The result, she says, is her most authentic public appearance yet.
Sobriety Changed How She Sees Sex and Self-Love
Delevingne also opened up about sobriety in the interview. She said getting sober shifted how she experiences sexuality entirely. Before, she sought validation through sex. Now, she says she approaches it from a place of self-love. "Sex sobriety deepens your relationship with yourself," she told the magazine, per Yahoo.
She said she feels more comfortable in her body now than at any earlier point in her career. The Playboy cover, she explained, was a way to show that publicly — on her own terms, with people she trusted around her.
Debut Album Coming Next Month, Originally Planned as Anonymous
Beyond the cover, Delevingne revealed her debut album is set to drop next month. AOL reports she had originally planned to release the music anonymously — without her name attached — to let the work stand on its own. She ultimately decided against that, choosing instead to own it fully.
She said she wants to build her music career outside of traditional label expectations. The Playboy issue, landing stands later in July, appears timed to coincide with that creative push — a dual statement about her body, her art, and her identity all at once, according to Page Six.
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