Dolce & Gabbana cut edgy D&G line

By Antonella Ciancio

MILAN (Reuters) - Italian fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana are ending the youthful D&G line they created almost 20 years ago to focus on their core brand.

The two designers known for their glamorous Mediterranean style said in a note on Thursday they wanted to enrich their top brand offer, which already ranges from exclusive evening dresses to more affordable accessories such as fragrances or sunglasses.

Fashion houses have widened their entry level offers to recover from a financial crisis which has hit demand for luxury goods.

"For the upcoming seasons, D&G will become part of Dolce & Gabbana, giving even more strength and energy to our collections," they said in an emailed statement.

"To us, it's like going back to when we began our adventure: full of ideas," they said.

Dolce and Gabbana, whose dresses have been worn by stars such as Madonna and Monica Bellucci, launched D&G in 1994 to catch up with edgier, younger customers.

For the final D&G collection presented on Thursday, the designers stitched together colourful silk foulards. Oversized raffia hats and wedges entirely made of foulards gave a fresh glamour to a show received with wide applause.

The private company, run by the two designers, reported 10 percent revenue growth to 1.13 billion euros ($1.54 billion) in the year ended on March 31.

Wholesale sales dropped more than 13 percent in 2009, as the global crisis sapped demand for luxury goods.

Dolce & Gabbana employs around 3,400 people and has 91 directly operated stores around the world.

Milan Fashion Week runs until Sept. 27, with Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Prada and Roberto Cavalli among top names.

($1 = 0.730 Euros)

(Reporting by Antonella Ciancio, editing by Paul Casciato)