At the Milan Fashion Week in June 2025, Prada presented a toe-braided sandal that closely resembled India's traditional Kolhapuri chappal, an artisanal leather sandal with a lineage traced back to the 12th century and protected in India since 2019 as a Geographical Indication ("GI"). The collection did not reference Kolhapur or the craft's origins, prompting swift backlash from Indian artisans and government-linked bodies.
There is serious fuss in India about sandals
It is June 2025 and the Milan Fashion Week is in full swing. Prada showcases its men's footwear collection. But what is in the collection? The Milan audience is being exposed to lookalikes of the traditional Indian handcrafted Kolhapuri chappal (named after a town in the Indian state of Maharashtra where the sandals have been made for centuries.)
The Kolhapuri chappal indeed has some serious history, apparently dating all the way back to the 12th century. And, since 2019, it has enjoyed protection under India's Geographical Indications ("GI") Act. A GI is a type of intellectual property that designates products as originating from a particular location, where their unique qualities, reputation or characteristics are inherently tied to that place. In India, examples include Chanderi sarees, Madhubani paintings, Pashmina shawls, Kancheepuram silk and Darjeeling tea. GIs play a crucial role in promoting rural development, supporting exports, building consumer trust and safeguarding the cultural heritage of local communities. Unlike trade marks, which are owned by individual businesses, GIs are collective rights held by the producers of the goods and cannot be sold, transferred or licensed.
Cultural appropriation
Many in India are unhappy, claiming that Prada is guilty of predatory cultural appropriation and intellectual property infringement. There is also a claim of unauthorised use of a GI-registered design, as well as a demand for damages. The demand comes from a government-backed body from the state of Karnataka, which is a joint owner/ registered user of the Kolhapuri chappal GI.
Prada's defence
There's no cultural appropriation or infringement to be seen here, that is the gist of Prada's defence. The company claims that the design of the products was simply 'inspired' and the product was not marketed as Kolhapuri chappals.
Public pressure and a public statement
There's been considerable public pressure on Prada. So much so that the company issued a formal statement that gives credit to the Indian Kolhapuri chappals. The company said a number of things:
- It is prepared to 'engage and collaborate' with local artisans
- It is talking to the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture for 'collaborative manufacturing with GI-certified Kolhapuri manufacturers', seeming to 'ensure authenticity and sustain traditional craftsmanship'
- It acknowledges the sandals' origins and it is open to a 'dialogue for meaningful exchange with local Indian artisans'
- The episode highlights both the vitality of India's living craft traditions, showcased by initiatives like Delhi's Dilli Haat (mentioned below), and the fragility of their protection in global markets, where attribution gaps and weak cross-border enforcement can undermine communities that sustain these crafts.
QR codes
We understand that all 'authentic Kolhapuri chappals will now feature a unique QR code to verify their authenticity and to ensure due credit, recognition and compensation are paid to the artisans'.
During my recent visit to India earlier this year for a work-related trip, I had the opportunity to visit the popular Dilli Haat, based in New Delhi. The experience was nothing short of amazing, with stalls selling authentic handcrafted items from various regions in India. In fact, I purchased a beautiful hand-crafted embroidery fabric length which was made in Gujarat, located on the western coast of India and just under 1000 kms from New Delhi. A bit of additional research confirmed that the state of Gujarat is well known for its handcrafted embroidery, including intricate styles like Kutch embroidery and Soof embroidery, which often incorporate mirror work and are frequently applied to fabric lengths for garments and textiles. The stall holder also shared some of this history with me.
The Dilli Haat project was set up by Delhi Tourism and NDMC, D.C. (Handicrafts) & D.C. (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India and Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. It aims at providing encouragement to the needy artists from all over the country in order to sustain and preserve the rich heritage of India. Craftsmen who are registered with D.C. Handicrafts are eligible to sell their products at Dilli Haat.
Legal frameworks for cultural and heritage crafts.
It has been suggested that there is a 'dire need for water-tight international legal frameworks to protect native cultural and heritage crafts and ensure due credit to the actual communities that have kept the craft alive'.
Some final words
'While this controversy enlightens us about the difficulties and lacunas that traditional artisans face in protecting their skills and hard work, it also comically highlights how a renowned luxury brand had to pull a long face due to a lack of research over the designs submitted by their employee.' - BBC
While GIs like "Kolhapuri" offer important protection for traditional crafts, they have limitations, especially internationally and when only the design, not the name, is used. To strengthen protection, artisan groups should consider registering certification or collective marks, developing distinctive trade dress and using branding and traceability tools. Additional layers of protection, such as trade mark, design rights and copyright, can help safeguard unique features. Ultimately, a multi-pronged legal strategy combining GIs, trade marks, design rights and transparent partnerships is the most effective way to protect cultural heritage in the global marketplace.
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