The Classe Del 1965 pictorial, featured in the October 1976 issue of Playboy Italian Edition, is a highlight of the magazine's archives. This pictorial showcases a group of stunning Italian women, all born in 1965, who epitomize the beauty, elegance, and charm of the era.
The photographers utilized the golden hour light of Milan and Rome, giving the spreads a feeling of a still-frame from a Fellini or Antonioni film. The Classe Del 1965 pictorial, featured in the
Shunning the heavy airbrushing common in later decades, the images celebrated natural beauty and the unrefined textures of 70s fashion—denim, chunky knits, and disheveled hair. Shunning the heavy airbrushing common in later decades,
The October 1976 issue of Playboy Italian Edition is more than just a nostalgic collector's item; it's a cultural artifact that offers a glimpse into the social and cultural landscape of Italy during the 1970s. The issue reflects the country's growing openness to liberal values, as well as its increasing fascination with fashion, beauty, and popular culture. The publication of these images sparked an immediate
The publication of these images sparked an immediate and enduring scandal. While some viewers at the time debated the images' "aesthetic value" as art, the pictorial is now widely viewed through a lens of exploitation and child safety.
The centerpiece of this issue is a nude pictorial titled (Class of 1965). The title refers to the birth year of the subject, Eva Ionesco, who was only 11 years old at the time the photos were published. Captured by her mother, the French photographer Irina Ionesco , the images depict Eva in stylized, "baroque" poses on an empty terrace near the sea. A Legacy of Controversy