Primark threatened with legal action over 'counterfeit' version of Veja trainers loved by royalty

The Duchess of Sussex wore a pair of Veja V-10 trainers during her tour of Australia in 2018 Credit: PA

Primark has been threatened with legal action after producing a copycat version of Veja trainers which have recently been made fashionable by the Duchess of Sussex.

Meghan sported a pair of the Veja V-10 during her official royal tour of Australia last year.

The unisex shoes were recently named among the 'world's hottest' styles.

For customers not willing to shell out £115 for a pair, Primark has produced a much cheaper version costing £7.

The decision has disgusted Sebastien Kopp, founder of Veja, who branded the shoes "counterfeit" and warned the high street chain he would see them in court.

Responding to an online backlash from fans of Veja, Mr Kopp posted a message on his Instagram.

He stated: "It is very sad to see this, the first question coming to mind is 'where are those nice counterfeit shoes made?' I think@Primark got it wrong, they should not copy the style of our shoes. We will explain everything to them in court."

The French label is also a popular choice with Harry Potter actress Emma Watson, Desperate Housewives star Chloe Moretz and a host of fashion bloggers and influencers, including Alice Catherine.

The brand uses materials that are sourced locally and organically and workers are treated with respect.

Mr Kopp added: "They [Primark] should copy the way in which we do them [produce trainers], with organic cotton, with recycled plastic in factories where workers are paid decently."

Primark told ITV news the trainers are still on sale and said: "We note the recent comments made by Veja. We work hard to offer our customers the most up-to-date looks on the high street and like many of our lines, this shoe is part of a wider trend identified by our buying team."

Veja fans were alerted to Primark's similar version a few days ago when The Nu Wardrobe, an online clothes sharing startup based in Dublin, shared a collage of Veja's V12 B-Mesh sneaker, with the version from Primark.

The post quickly went viral and was seen by Kopp who messaged fans.