PARIS (Reuters) - Fashion company Hermes vowed to 'vigorously defend itself' in a lawsuit filed against it in California claiming it unlawfully allows only customers with "sufficient purchase history" with the company to buy its famed Birkin handbags.

"Obviously, we strictly respect antitrust laws wherever we operate, and we will vigorously defend ourselves in this case," Hermes executive chairman Axel Dumas told the company's annual shareholder meeting on Tuesday.