When Tradition Meets High Fashion: The Kolhapuri vs. Prada Debate
On June 25, Italian luxury brand Prada at its Spring/Summer 2026 menswear show in Milan, unveiled footwear inspired by India’s Geographical Indication (GI) tagged Kolhapuri chappals, that ultimately sparked accusation of “cultural misappropriation”. The value of those Kolhapuri chappals copied by Prada were valued around Rs1 lakh–Rs1.2 lakh, and was launched without any initial acknowledgement of the Indian heritage and cultural significance.
July 25, 2025•3 min read