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playboyLAS VEGAS (Reuters) - After a lifetime of undressing beautiful women, Playboy now has a new cause — dressing men.

Seeking to expand its lucrative licensing business, Playboy Enterprises Inc. has launched a line of menswear that represents a hip departure from the silk smoking jackets favored by its 80-year-old founder, Hugh Hefner.

At the Magic Marketplace apparel trade show in Las Vegas this week, fashion buyers got their first peek at a 2007 spring line of men’s T-shirts, jackets and swimwear, all emblazoned with variations on Playboy’s iconic bunny logo.

“If they (young males) can’t gain access to the Playboy mansion, then they’ll buy a T-shirt that makes them feel like they’re affiliated with the lifestyle,” said Aaron Duncan, Playboy’s creative director of licensing.

The company, known for its Playboy bunny centerfolds, has battled slumping revenue in its publishing business amid declining ad sales and higher paper costs, and second-quarter results were also hit by sales shortfalls in its domestic television business.

But its licensing division is expanding through boutique shops and Playboy clubs around the world, and now encompasses not only apparel, but accessories, makeup, lingerie and home decor. A fragrance is in the works.