US glamour magazine mogul Hugh Hefner, who founded Playboy in 1953, has died at the age of 91.
The magazine posted a photo in black and white of its creator on Twitter accompanied by one of his quotes that read: "Life it too short to be living somebody else's dream."
Describing him as an "American icon", they tweeted: "Hugh M. Hefner passed away today. He was 91. #RIPHef"
In a further statement Playboy Enterprises said Hefner "peacefully passed away today from natural causes at his home, The Playboy Mansion, surrounded by loved ones".
His son Cooper Hefner, the chief creative officer of Playboy Enterprises, said in a statement that his father "defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the Playboy brand".
'American Icon' Hugh Hefner dies aged 91
He added: "My father lived an exceptional and impactful life as a media and cultural pioneer and a leading voice behind some of the most significant social and cultural movements of our time in advocating free speech, civil rights and sexual freedom.
"He will be greatly missed by many, including his wife Crystal, my sister Christie and my brothers David and Marston and all of us at Playboy Enterprises."
"He defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the Playboy brand, one of the most recognisable and enduring in history."
Singer and actress Nancy Sinatra paid tribute to him as "one of the nicest men I've ever known", adding: "Godspeed, Hugh Hefner."
Actor Rob Lowe tweeted: "I had a number of great conversations and with Hugh Hefner. Was such an interesting man. True legend. What an end of an era!"
Hefner created Playboy magazine in 1953 starting the publication from his kitchen table.
It went on to become the biggest-selling men's magazine in the world, and continues to be published in more than 20 countries to this day.
Born on April 9 1926, Hefner was the son of two teachers who held firm political beliefs.
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After working for a number of years in the magazine publishing industry - following a brief stint in the Army - Hefner became convinced that there was a market for an upscale men's magazine.
He took out a loan - putting up his furniture as collateral - and borrowed money from family and friends to publish the very first issue of Playboy in December 1953.
The first edition featured a centrefold image of Marilyn Monroe, originally shot for her 1949 nude calendar - an image which came to symbolise the early days of the magazine.
Hefner's creation was an instant sensation, selling more than 50,000 copies.
In 2015, Playboy announced it was to stop publishing pictures of naked women, saying easy access to such images online means they are "passe".
Cory Jones, chief content officer at the time, told the New York Times the move away from total nudity was the right one.
"You're now one click away from every sex act imaginable for free. And so it's just passe at this juncture," he said.
He added: "Don't get me wrong. Twelve-year-old me is very disappointed in current me. But it's the right thing to do."
However, earlier this year, the ban on the nudity that made the magazine famous was lifted.
Playboy celebrated the reversal on Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #NakedIsNormal.