October 1976 was a pivotal month. The country was recovering from the 1975-76 recession. The Compromesso Storico (Historic Compromise) between the Christian Democrats (DC) and the Italian Communist Party (PCI) was gaining traction. Unemployment hovered around 7%, but youth unemployment (the Classe del 1965) was double that.
Who was the "Classe del 1965"? In 1976, a person born in 1965 was just 11 years old. Therefore, the keyword likely refers to a thematic retrospective or a fictional profile within the magazine. More probably, the October 1976 issue contained a photo-spread or feature article analyzing the future of those born in 1965—the first wave of post-boom Italians who would enter the workforce in the early 1980s. These were the children of the Sessantotto (1968 protests), facing a rigid, industrialized labor market that was beginning to crumble.
The magazine’s editors likely used the “Classe del 1965” as a archetype: the first generation to grow up with color television, disposable income, and the sexual revolution, yet destined for the precariato (precarious work)—a term that would define Italy decades later.
For collectors and archivists, the October 1976 issue is significant for several reasons:
A true collector knows that the nudity is only half the story. The October 1976 issue is also prized for its written content:
The "Classe del 1965" feature represents classic Playboy content: a celebration of a specific demographic of womanhood. It serves as a time capsule of the mid-70s, presenting 21-year-olds as the epitome of freedom and modernity.
The October 1976 issue of the Italian edition of is widely known for featuring Eva Ionesco
on the cover. The phrase "Classe del 1965" (Class of 1965) refers to her birth year, as she was roughly 11 years old at the time of the shoot. Key Details of the October 1976 Italian Issue Cover Model: Eva Ionesco
, who at age 11 became the youngest model to ever appear on a Playboy cover. Photographer: The pictorial was shot by her mother, Irina Ionesco , known for her controversial "baroque-style" photography.
Content & Style: The feature included a nude pictorial of Eva on an empty terrace by the sea.
Controversy: The issue caused a significant and lasting scandal due to the age of the model and the provocative nature of the photos. Context of "Classe del 1965"
In Italian, "Classe del [Year]" typically refers to the year a person was born. By identifying Eva as "Classe del 1965," the magazine highlighted that she was part of a young generation, though her inclusion in the magazine remains a highly debated topic in photography and media history. Playboy | MADAME de PIQUE
The “Work” section of the October 1976 issue is what makes this keyword legendary among collectors. Unlike the American Playboy’s focus on playboy bunnies and leisure suits, the Italian edition produced a controversial 12-page pictorial titled: "Operaie e Segretarie: La Bellezza della Fatica" (Female Workers and Secretaries: The Beauty of Toil).
The Photography: Shot by the renowned fashion photographer Gianni Turillazzi (who had previously shot for Vogue Italia), the spread featured models dressed as:
The Ideological Nuance: What separates this from standard softcore is the accompanying essay by sociologist Alberto Abruzzese. He argued that the pictorial was not exploitative but critical. By placing eroticism inside the loud, dangerous factory floor, the magazine was highlighting how Italian capitalism alienated the worker’s body, and how erotic photography could “reclaim” that body. This was, of course, a convenient intellectual fig leaf, but it worked. The issue sold out in four days.