Balenciaga at Tesco

Tesco has agreed to stop selling a military-style coat until it settles a copying row with haute couture group Balenciaga. The futuristic fashion house led by French designer Nicholas Ghesquiere has threatened Britain's number one supermarket chain with legal action after its Florence and Fred fashion label produced an almost identical white coat to one from Balenciaga's autumn/winter collection.

The major difference between the two garments is that the Tesco coat is priced at £55, while its designer rival costs £1,380. A Tesco spokesman said the company was looking into the dispute with Balenciaga and would not release the offending coat to its stores until it was settled.