Dior vs Dior battle over

Auckland photographer Sirous Dior will not be continuing the fight to use his own name in his businesses. Photo / Bradley Ambrose

A Kiwi has given up his fight with fashion giant Dior and changed the name of his business.

Aucklander Sirous Dior registered his company Dior Fine Art in New Zealand last year.

In March, the 34-year-old photographer was stunned to receive a "heavy breathing" letter from Australian lawyers for Parfums Christian Dior ordering him to stop using his name for his business.

He spent about $4,000 preparing a defence, he said, but has now backed down, citing mounting legal costs.

"It was a battle I couldn't win as Dior is too big an empire to take on," he told the Herald on Sunday. "The whole thing was turning out to be a waste of money, time and energy.

"I offered to withdraw the names of three businesses I had registered and have changed them to Alphabet Limited.

"I was not competing with anything Dior is doing but I compromised.

"I won't be registering anything in my own name again.

"You live and learn."

The photographer has lived in New Zealand since 1989 when his family moved here from Tehran.

He officially changed from his mother's surname, Badiei, to his father's surname, Dior, 15 years ago.

Melbourne-based law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth wrote to the Aucklander saying its client was "very concerned about his use of, and his company's applications to register trademarks containing the name Dior".

It insisted Dior and Christian Dior Couture were registered owners of numerous New Zealand trademarks for, or including, the name Dior.

Dior was asked to withdraw his applications to the Intellectual Property office of New Zealand within 14 days or Parfums Dior may have no choice but to "commence legal proceedings".

The fashion house opened a flagship store in Auckland's Queen St in December last year.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth did not respond to the Herald on Sunday for comment.