He was 91 years old.

In a statement, Playboy said that Mr. Hefner died of natural causes at home, surrounded by loved ones.

Mr. Hefner introduced Playboy to the world in 1953, and it rose to be one of the most recognizable American global brands in history.

The magazine is currently published in more than 20 countries around the world and products featuring the company's trademarks drive more than $1 billion in sales annually.