Prada faces heat over Kolhapuri Chappal design; PIL seeks apology, compensation
Prada has priced the footwear for over Rs 1 lakh and labelled it as 'Toe Ring Sandals'
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A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed against a luxury fashion brand for showcasing footwear at Milan Fashion Week that is deceptively similar to the design of Maharashtra's Kolhapuri Chappal.
The PIL argued that the act of Prada amounts to cultural misappropriation and violation of the rights of artisans who have been making this chappal for centuries.
Prada has priced the footwear for over Rs 1 lakh and labelled it as 'Toe Ring Sandals'.
The PIL has been filed by Prof Adv Ganesh S Hingmire, wherein he has demanded that Prada apologise and compensate the artisans. He also mentioned that Prada has ignored the cultural roots through such an act, and also the Geographical Indication tag of the footwear.
The PIL mentioned that Prada has rebranded the design under a European label without appropriate attribution or compensation to the community that has historically crafted them.
Following the controversy, Prada mentioned that the footwear was inspired by "traditional Indian handcrafted footwear and had added, "deeply recognize the cultural significance".
“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 recognise the cultural significance of such Indian craftsmanship,” Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, said.
He added that the designs were still in early development stages and had not yet been approved for commercial production.
However, the PIL stated that it was not sufficient to undo the damage. Prada's act was an economic and intellectual exploitation of the community that has kept the craft alive for generations, the PIL added.
The PIL has sought that Prada apologise across all media--digital, print, and social media platforms.
Additionally, the PIL has asked the government to protect the indigenous artisans from creative theft in the future.
