when i was travelling across australia during my gap year post-university, i became rather addicted to girls next door, a reality tv show about hugh hefner and his then live-in girlfriends holly, kendra and bridget.

i have no idea why i was so captivated by the trashy programme but i was left with a mild obsession with playboy bunnies. to be clear now, i’m talking about the provocative ladies dressed in satin basques, fluffy tails and pointed ears, not the naked women on the front cover of the magazine.

there is a small army of bunnies in london serving the patrons at the playboy club on old park lane in mayfair, and on tuesday night i headed to the venue to try and steal a pair of ears or two.

we were celebrating the launch of baroque, a new look bar within the club, the brain child of nightlife buff gerry calabrese. 

i visited the playboy club at the initial opening last year and while the bar looks fairly familiar the new aesthetics are obvious.

the ceiling and walls have been covered with reams of fabric in pinks and ruby red. there are a series of small cabaret-style tables covered in white cloths, while the booths have been re-upholstered in luxurious red velvet. (what i imagine to be) faux-antique portraits line the walls. you get the idea. some patrons will love it while others will find it all rather garish.

with a vintage-inspired shallow champagne glass in hand, i was rather annoyed i didn’t have a cigarette holder prop or long satin gloves to really get into the spirit of the evening.

after sampling the canapes and several glasses of bubbles, guests were treated to a performance by songstress delilah, who according to her frustrated manager was two hours late for the set. who cares about her tardiness, the girl can sing. 

after delilah, and a performance by the house band, mark ronson took to the decks to work his magic. he had everyone up moving and shaking away, blending current pop tracks with classic hip hop. he didn’t seem to mind we were practically dancing on top of his decks.

i tried, and failed, to convince a bunny to let me ‘borrow’ her ears or tail but she obliged us posing for a series of snaps.

i didn’t have my camera so the night was captured on steph’s iphone, apologies for the bad quality but you can get the gist, we rather enjoyed ourselves.