ITALIAN fashion house Gucci is suing two Chinese companies, claiming they infringed its trademark, a Beijing court spokesman said yesterday.

Guccio Gucci SPA was suing Shanghai Basto Shoes Co Ltd and Beijing Hualian Hypermarket Co Ltd at the Beijing Municipal No. 1 Intermediate People's Court, the spokesman said.

Gucci is demanding the defendants immediately stop manufacturing and selling ladies shoes carrying a logo very similar to that of Gucci - a registered trademark featuring an interlocking "GG" pattern.

The Italian company was also seeking compensation totaling 500,000 yuan (US$66,666) from the two Chinese firms, he said.

Gucci said it found the shoes at a Hualian outlet in January and an agent bought a pair as evidence preservation, which was notarized.

Gucci argued that Shanghai Basto had "apparent subjective malice" in infringing on the exclusive rights owned by Gucci, while Beijing Hualian also constituted trademark infringement in selling the shoes.

Gucci said it also found Senda Group Co Ltd in Jiangsu Province, the parent company of Shanghai Basto, had used Gucci's interlocking "GG" logo. But the company did not sue the Jiangsu firm. No reason why was given.