Jimmy Choo threatens to sue NZ website

Luxury women's shoemaker Jimmy Choo has threatened to sue a New Zealand website unless it gives up its name.

British company, Jimmy Choo has told the north of Auckland gift seller website, Kookychoo.com, it must agree to give up its name by Tuesday, or face a lawsuit.

Jimmy Choo was made famous by the TV series Sex and the City.

Kookychoo owner Looie James told the New Zealand Herald she received a letter from Wellington intellectual property lawyers AJ Park, on behalf of Jimmy Choo, telling her company to drop plans to trademark its name.

She was prepared to do this. However she had received another letter this week telling the company to cease trading as Kookychoo altogether.

The "aggressive" letter claimed the names were similar enough that customers could be confused, said Ms James.

There was nothing similar in the branding or products that Kookychoo sold, she said.

Lawyers told her she had a case but it would cost more than $50,000 to fight it.

"I'm a mother of seven and I live out in Kaukapakapa on a little farm, there's no way I have those kinds of funds," said Ms James.

She was preparing to accede to the company's demands.