CHICAGO, IL — Playboy magazine has long been associated with a certain kind of idealized lifestyle; one filled with beautiful women, sweet-and-casual sex, elegance, sophistication, culture, and good breeding. Whether its readership reflects such virtues is an matter for individual judgment, but thanks to increased product development within the mainstream world of fashion and cosmetics, an increasing number of consumers are able to step into the dream. Thanks to a licensing agreement with Coty Beauty, that dream can now be accompanied by the sweet smell of… Playboy. Playboy has already experienced success with its line of saucily named cosmetics, including “Tie Me to the Bedpost” blush and “Mile High” mascara. The image-heavy company hopes to build on that success by introducing the bunny brand to the male fragrance market.

The partnership with Coty Beauty, which includes JOOP!, Calvin Klein, Halle Berry, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Jennifer Lopez in its fragrance portfolio, unquestionably adds to Playboy’s prestige and ability to thrive in the international marketplace.

The experience-rich Coty Beauty also considers the collaboration to be a good one, with CosmeticsDesign.com quoting CEO Bernd Beetz as saying that the company’s new client is “One of the world’s most recognized and iconic brands. Playboy is known by men and women around the world. We anticipate that this fragrance will quickly become a successful part of our lifestyle brands portfolio at Coty Beauty.”

Coty Beauty marketing executive Steve Mormoris joined Beetz in praise of Playboy, opining that “Playboy is the perfect match to create a new men’s fragrance, as it is a brand that inspires a lifestyle of fantasy and desirability.”

All of this is good news for a company whose flagship magazine has steadily dropped in readership since its 1970s-era heyday. While sales of the magazine may be disappointing, sales of evocative Playboy brand products rose 17-percent during the final quarter of 2007, making consumer products the most profitable division of Playboy Enterprises.