Luxury fashion house Prada has acknowledged the Indian origins of its new sandal design, following a wave of criticism from Indian artisans, politicians and cultural commentators. The controversy erupted after the brand debuted open-toe leather sandals at Milan Fashion Week last weekend, with a braided design strikingly similar to the traditional Kolhapuri chappals (slippers) of India.
Images from Prada’s runaway show in Milan showed models wearing sandals that closely resembled handmade Kolhapuri footwear, which traces its design heritage back to the 12th Century. Named after the city of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, these sandals are known for their durability and suitability for India’s hot climate, and are traditionally made from leather and dyed using natural colours.
While Prada initially described the sandals simply as “leather footwear”, it made no mention of their Indian inspiration — sparking widespread backlash on social media, in the press, and from lawmakers, over what was seen as cultural appropriation and a lack of due credit to Indian artisans.
Prada is a globally recognized Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1913 by Mario Prada in Milan. It's known for its high-end leather handbags, travel accessories, shoes, ready-to-wear clothing, and other fashion items.
Responding to the criticism, Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada’s senior executive and son of the brand’s owners, wrote a letter to the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture — a trade body representing 3,000 Kolhapuri artisans — acknowledging the Indian heritage of the design.
“We acknowledge that the sandals... are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, with a centuries-old heritage,” Bertelli said in the letter. He added that the sandals are still at “an early stage of design” and may not be commercialised, but emphasised that Prada is open to a “dialogue for meaningful exchange with local Indian artisans” and intends to organise follow-up meetings on the issue.
A spokesperson for Prada reiterated the brand’s stance, stating that it has “always celebrated craftsmanship, heritage and design traditions”, and confirmed its ongoing discussions with the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce.
The debate has reignited concerns about global brands drawing on Indian cultural and artisanal traditions without proper attribution or benefit to local communities. Sambhaji Chhatrapati of the Kolhapur royal family voiced his displeasure, telling Reuters that he was disappointed the craftsmen had not been acknowledged for their "150-year-old history and heritage".
Indian industrialist Harsh Goenka also criticised the brand’s approach, pointing out the stark economic divide between the luxury label and traditional artisans. While Kolhapuri sandals typically sell for as little as ₹1,000, Prada’s leather sandals often retail for around Rs 1 lakh. In India, Prada’s men’s leather footwear can cost upwards of Rs 70,000—a price point far out of reach for most Indians.
“From the dusty lanes of Kolhapur to the glitzy runways of Milan… will the world finally give credit where it’s due?” Indian news platform DNA News asked in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Despite the uproar, some in Kolhapur expressed cautious optimism. Kolhapur-based businessman Dileep More said that the global visibility brought by the Prada controversy has created a sense of pride among local artisans. “They are happy that someone is recognising their work,” he said.
This is not the first time global fashion labels have faced allegations of cultural appropriation involving Indian designs. Earlier this year, Gucci was criticised at the Cannes Film Festival for describing a sari worn by Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt as a “gown”. In May, a viral TikTok trend drew backlash for referring to the dupatta, a traditional South Asian scarf, as a “Scandinavian scarf”.
India’s luxury market remains small but is expanding rapidly, with increasing numbers of wealthy consumers buying high-end fashion, cars and accessories. At the same time, Indian craftsmanship is gaining visibility in global fashion. Notably, jeweller Bulgari now offers a $16,000 mangalsutra necklace — inspired by a chain traditionally worn by married Indian women.
As the conversation around cultural appropriation intensifies, Prada’s response marks a rare instance of a major fashion house openly acknowledging the origins of its design and engaging with artisans to address concerns. Whether this leads to genuine collaboration — and compensation — remains to be seen.