Model Ines Rau becomes Playboy's first transgender Playmate

Model Ines Rau has made history by becoming Playboy's first transgender Playmate.

In the first issue since its founder Hugh Hefner died, the 26-year-old model appears in the magazine's coveted centrefold spot.

The November/December issue is a 100-page tribute to Hugh, who was an advocate for LGBT issues.

A black and white portrait of the businessman is the magazine's front cover image.

Ines first appeared in Playboy's May 2014 issue in a special edition, which looked at gender as non-binary.

And no stranger to the modelling world, she's appeared in Vogue Italia and starred in a campaign for fashion brand Balmain.

Now with the release of November's issue, she'll become the first transgender Playmate in the magazine's 64-year history.

A Playmate is a model who appears on the centrefold of the magazine as its Playmate of the Month.

French model Ines Rau has also appeared in Vogue Italia

Speaking to Playboy about her photoshoot, Ines said her centrefold spread reminds her of how far she and other trans women have come.

"When I was doing this shoot, I was thinking of all those hard days in my childhood," she said.

"Nudity means a lot to me since I went through a transition to get to where I want to be."

"And now everything happening gives me so much joy and happiness. I thought, 'Am I really going to be a Playmate - me?' It's the most beautiful compliment I've ever received," she added.

Ines is not the first transgender model to feature in the magazine.

Back in 1981, transgender actress Caroline "Tula" Cossey was photographed in Playboy to promote the Bond film For Your Eyes Only.

However, it was not known to the public that she was trans.

Caroline Cossey tweets a photo of herself.

She went on to pose for the magazine again in 1991 after a British tabloid revealed she was transgender.

Find us on Instagram at BBCNewsbeat and follow us on Snapchat, search for bbc_newsbeat