After a months-long global competition that drew tens of thousands of hopefuls, Playboy has officially crowned its newest Playmate.
According to an official announcement from the brand, social media star Lauren Summer emerged as the winner of the brand’s reimagined Great Playmate Search, outpacing more than 17,000 other entrants in the first digital-only version of the iconic contest.
The updated search marked a major shift for Playboy, combining fan voting with input from a judging panel made up of Legacy Playmates. More than 1.7 million votes were cast by over 200,000 fans worldwide.
Summer’s path to the title wasn’t built around a single viral moment. The Orlando native, who now lives in Los Angeles, first crossed paths with Playboy in 2017, when a lingerie photo of her was shared on the brand’s Instagram account.
“In 2017 Playboy posted a photo of me in lingerie on their Instagram, and overnight I blew up,” Summer said. “I’ve used that as a stepping stone.” Today, she has amassed more than two million followers across social platforms.
During the competition, judges highlighted Summer’s ability to use her platform beyond modeling. She has been open about living with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and has shared content aimed at normalizing conversations around sexual health and dating expectations.
“To be in the company of the other Playmates is such an honor, and also validates that I’m seen as a multifaceted woman,” she said.
The judging panel included former Playmates Shanna Moakler, Brande Roderick, Daphnée Duplaix, and Summer Altice, who evaluated finalists alongside fan engagement. While Summer claimed the top prize, model Ines Trocchia was selected as the Inside Cover winner for the upcoming issue.
“For me, Playboy is about the freedom to be who you want to be, and do what you want to do with your body,” Trocchia said.
Both Summer and Trocchia will appear in Playboy’s Spring 2026 print edition, scheduled to hit newsstands in March 2026.