The university sells gowns for £159 each, but an Australian company called Churchill Gowns is now offering red “St Andrews” gowns online for £99.

The firm also partnered with a local Fife business to sell the gowns in St Andrews during freshers’ week in September.

Lawyers for the university allege Churchill Gowns are advertising their product in a way suggesting a “false endorsement by or association with the university”, The Herald reports.

A spokesperson for St Andrews said: “The purpose of the cease-and-desist letter is to make clear the concerns of the university and its students.

“In our view it is not sufficient that a company states it is not affiliated with the university while it also claims gowns are made to university specifications.

“This is a false endorsement, which we believe constitutes mis-selling of gowns to students who believe they will be of equivalent quality to the official university gown.”