Hayley Hasselhoff makes history as first plus-size model to grace a European ‘Playboy’ cover
The 28-year-old multi-hyphenate breaks barriers as the first plus-size cover girl of Playboy Germany.
Hayley Hasselhoff announced the news on her Instagram account, posting a photo of the magazine’s May 2021 cover where she bears luscious curls and curves that matches her sultry look.
She wears nothing but a red silk robe in front of a mirror, posing playfully for the masterful lens of renowned German photographer Ellen von Unwerth. The photo shoot took place at the Aux Belles Poules, the site of a former brothel in Paris, during lockdown.
Along with the photo, Hasselhoff penned a message that explained her journey as a model and how important this moment is for her, who, for years have campaigned for inclusivity and more diversity in fashion and media.
“I am overcome with emotion around what this cover signifies for inclusivity and its greater purpose towards female empowerment. I wanted to use this platform to express that you have the power to love your body without hesitation because of societies’ standards of beauty,” said Hasselhoff, the daughter of actor and singer David Hasselhoff and actress Pamela Bach.
Hasselhoff, who was signed with Ford Models at 14 years old, believes that being different gives one power and a voice. She is also a passionate advocate, speaking up on issues that relate to women’s health, well-being and equality.
“My relationship with my body has always stemmed from my relationship with my mental well-being. With May being Mental Health Awareness month, I feel empowered to be able to wake up and know that I get to live unapologetically myself. I hope to inspire women to face their fears of the unknown and to lead a life of purpose in which your body does not define you,” she added.
Apart from being a model who has graced international fashion magazine covers and walked numerous runways for prominent brands, Hasselhoff is also an actress and a fashion and wellbeing editor for Marie Claire UK. She is also a fashion designer, who has designed and released two plus-size collections with a UK clothing brand that offer clothes for sizes 14 to 38. She shuttles between the UK and Los Angeles, both of which she considers her home.
Speaking with Playboy Germany for her cover story, Hasselhoff revealed that it was the first time that she did a nude photo shoot but she felt “enlightened, empowered, sexy, silly and free.” But beyond posing nude for the first time, Hasselhoff considers being on the history-making cover of the magazine is an opportunity that is meant for a greater purpose.
“This is for all the curvier women out there who may have ever questioned their bodies or desire because of their size. You are worthy, you are wanted, you are loved! I am proud how far we have come in the curve movement with this cover,” she told the magazine.
Hasselhoff joins the ranks of plus-size models who have graced the magazine’s pages, starting with Fluvia Lacerda, the first ever curve model to land on the cover of any Playboy magazine in 2016 for Playboy Brazil; and Molly Constable, the first plus-size model to snatch a prominent feature in Playboy in the US.
Banner and thumbnail photos from @hhasselhoff on Instagram