London, Apr 16 : The clothing company being sued by Woody Allen argues that it couldn''t have tarnished his reputation by using his image, as the director has already ruined it by having an affair with his stepdaughter.

The Oscar-winning film director has dragged clothing firm American Apparel to court for using a still from his 1977 film Annie Hall, in which he is dressed as a Hassidic Jew, without his permission.

He wants at least 10 million dollars from the firm.

However, the company hits back at the claims by mentioning Allen's relationship with the actress Mia Farrow, who left him after she discovered he was having an affair with her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn.

During the custody battle, Farrow accused Allen of sexually abusing their adopted daughter, however, the `Match Point' director was cleared off the charges.

"I think Woody Allen overestimates the value of his image," the Telegraph quoted Stuart Slotnick, a lawyer for American Apparel, as saying.

"Certainly, our belief is that after the various sex scandals that Woody Allen has been associated with, corporate America's desire to have Woody Allen endorse their product is not what he may believe it is," he added. (ANI)