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Hugh Hefner’s Playboy empire was as famous for its “Bunnies” as it was for its saucy centerfolds.
The stunning waitresses, dressed in skin-tight bodices with rabbit ears and tails, became an iconic part of the mogul’s brand — serving at his parties, his clubs and even on his private jet.
But have you ever wondered why they were called “Bunnies” in the first place?
According to the magazine mogul — who died Wednesday at the age of 91 — the real inspiration behind the Playboy Bunny was a student bar from his college days.
When Hefner was a student at Illinois University, in the 1940s, his favorite hangout was a bar called Bunny’s Tavern named after its original owner, Bernard “Bunny” Fitzsimmons.
The bar, which opened in 1936, was a favorite for poverty-stricken students because of its 35-cent daily food specials and draft beer for 10 cents a glass.
When Hefner set up his Playboy empire, in the 1950s, he came up with his rabbit logo and consequently the Bunny girls as a tribute, which he revealed in a letter to the bar which now hangs on its wall.
However, he also admitted that the Bunny costume was a saucy reference to the sexual reputation of rabbits.
The iconic costume was designed by Zelda Wynn Valdes and made its formal debut at the opening of the first Playboy Club in Chicago in 1960.
Bunnies, who were chosen after a series of auditions, were given designated roles — so they could be a Door Bunny, a Cigarette Bunny, a Floor Bunny or a Playmate Bunny.
There were also trained flight attendants, known as Jet Bunnies, who served on the Playboy Big Bunny Jet.
Every Bunny went through a strict training regimen and had to be able to identify 143 brands of liquor and know how to garnish 20 cocktails.
They also had to master the “Bunny stance” — with legs together, back arched and hips tucked under — as well as the “Bunny perch” for sitting on the back of a chair and the “Bunny dip,” which required them to bend their knees to serve drinks elegantly.
Dating customers was forbidden and clients were banned from touching the girls in the clubs.
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