Fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld has been slapped with a lawsuit from bosses at sportswear firm New Balance over allegations his new sneakers are a design rip off.

The Chanel style guru unveiled his monochrome shoe in April (14), featuring the letter K in white block capital on the black side panel.

It immediately caused a stir among fashion bloggers, who pointed out the striking similarities between Lagerfeld's shoe and New Balance's classic sneaker, and now the sports company's executives are taking legal action.

In court papers obtained by Tmz.com, New Balance chiefs claim Lagerfeld's design is almost identical to their trademark look, which first appeared on the market in the 1970s. They insist the sneakers could cause confusion among consumers.