The model will also be celebrating her 40th birthday in January, the same month the publication is set to hit the stands, and Playboy’s editorial director, Jimmy Jellinek, thinks she was the perfect choice for the job.
He told the Los Angeles Times newspaper: ”This is a massive global brand. You need a global icon in order to celebrate that – that was the impetus. You’re talking about the face of Burberry, the biggest supermodel in the world on the cover of Playboy. She’s the perfect partner for us to help launch the next 60 years."
Jimmy thinks Kate is today’s version of Marilyn Monroe, who began her career as a model and was catapulted into the spotlight as a film star, eventually becoming major sex symbol in the 50s and 60s.
He said: "This creates a heat for the brand globally. It started with Marilyn Monroe on the cover of Playboy 60 years ago, an icon for her time. Now we’ve got Kate Moss!"
Playboy founder Hugh Hefner agreed with the praise, claiming the supermodel’s sex appeal is ideal for his brand. He added: "She’s a worldwide celebrity and iconic and crosses the boundaries from sexual imagery to upscale modelling. It’s a natural for us."
This is not the first time Kate has done a topless shoot. The blonde beauty launched her career with a racy campaign for Calvin Klein when she was just 16 years old, in which she was pictured straddling a male model.