When Tradition Meets High Fashion: The Kolhapuri vs. Prada Debate
Akanksha Verma
College:- Faculty of Law, Banaras Hindu University
Editor- Malla Greeshma
INTRODUCTION
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. This event has ignited immediate backlash across India, from artisan communities, business leaders to government officials, fuelling intense debates about cultural misappropriation, intellectual property rights and the fair treatment of Indian craftsmanship.
CURRENT CONTEXT
Kolhapuri chappals has their origins back to the 12th century all around the Kolhapur, Maharashtra and by the year 2019, the Kolhapuri chappals secured a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. Prada debuted open-toe braided leather sandals that ultimately resembled Kolhapuri chappals has sparked debate across the nations. The global fashion world buzzed but India erupted. The Prada’s omission of attribution was a subtle act of cultural erasure. The digital sphere has shown its anger and several business leaders also criticized Prada for copying the cultural heritage of India without any proper indication. The GI-tagged Kolhapuri chappals are under statutory protection within India, yet, Prada’s initial oversight deprived the proper significance and origin of the craft. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was also filed in the Bombay High court to seek a public apology and compensation for Kolhapuri chappal artisan communities. That plea argued that Prada has exploited cultural significance and violated Geographical Indication (GI) protections. But the brand has not yet issued any formal public apology or has not provided any compensation to the artisan communities.
However, after being slammed at Milan Fashion Week for failing to acknowledge the resemblance to India’s GI-tagged Kolhapuri chappals, the president of the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MCCIA), Lalit Gandhi, has communicated with the director of Prada, and made three demands to them; first, Prada should acknowledge the inspiration behind the design publicly; second, they should explore the possibilities for collaboration or fair compensation that could benefit the artisan communities involved; third, that they should consider supporting ethical fashion practices that respect traditional knowledge and cultural rights.
Lorenzo Bertelli, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Prada, has issued a statement that “We acknowledge that the sandals featured in the recent Prada Men's 2026 Fashion Show are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, with a centuries-old heritage. We deeply recognize the cultural significance of such Indian craftsmanship” and also replied to the letter sent by the MCCIA with a statement that “such a gesture would not only uphold ethical standards in global fashion, but also foster a meaningful exchange between heritage craftsmanship and contemporary design and that we trust that a brand of Prada’s stature and influence will take this concern in the right spirit and initiate a thoughtful response.” The brand also noted that the designs were in the early stages only and have not been approved for production yet.
Shivraj Soudagar, who runs a Athani Kolhapuri chappal cluster which is a micro industry that produces the footwear in Belagavi, Karnataka, said that "Everyone is blaming Prada for basing its designs on the Kolhapuri chappals. But I think they have done us a favour by taking our brand and making it global”. He said that leaders and officials are talking to Prada to correct themselves but we would like them to help us improve our designs and sell them at global level.
CONCLUSION
The debate that sparked after the Milan Fashion Week, slammed Prada for copying the cultural heritage of India without any proper indication and credits to the Kolhapuri chappal artisans. The Kolhapuri v. Prada debate has underscored a modern collision between, i.e., traditional craftsmanship and global luxury complex. The controversy has illuminated how conveniently cultural heritage can be commodified without any proper attributions and how rapidly public discourse can demand accountability. Yet, this moment also presents an opportunity for Indian artisans to step onto the global stage, as Shivraj Soudagar has contended through his statement. The engagement between Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MCCIA), Prada and Kolhapuri stakeholders could herald a new model of ethical collaboration that would combine design, training, fair trade and cultural respect. With strategic support and brand empowerment, Kolhapuri chappals may not only reclaim their legacy but can also step into future fashion narratives on their own terms.
References:
2. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly801q2pw7o
4. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/prada-kolhapuri-controversy-10094130/