Prada’s $1500 ‘Kolhapuri chappals’ stir controversy, now luxury giant admits it was inspired by India

Their sandals, with their open-toe, looked similar to Kolhapuri chappals from Maharashtra

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Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Entertainment Editor
2 MIN READ
Kolhapuri Chappals: Prada accepts Indian craftsmanship, open for meaningful exchange with artisans
Kolhapuri Chappals: Prada accepts Indian craftsmanship, open for meaningful exchange with artisans

Dubai: Prada just got a fashionable slap on the wrist. The Italian luxury giant strutted out a new pair of leather sandals at Milan Fashion Week—price tag: a casual Rs1.2 lakh—but forgot one tiny detail: crediting India.

The sandals, with their open-toe, braided design, looked eerily similar to Kolhapuri chappals—traditional, handmade footwear from Maharashtra and Karnataka that’s been around since the 12th century. Locals usually snag a pair for a few hundred rupees. Prada, meanwhile, tried to sell the look without so much as a “Namaste.”

The backlash was swift and spicy. Accusations of cultural appropriation flooded in, with many pointing out the stark irony—artisans in Kolhapur barely break even, while a luxury house rakes in lakhs for the same design.

Under pressure, Prada finally admitted to the BBC that the sandals were indeed “inspired by traditional Indian footwear.” A spokesperson claimed the brand “has always celebrated craftsmanship and heritage”—just not enough to say the word Kolhapur the first time around.

To its credit, the brand is now in talks with the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce and says it’s open to collaborating with local artisans.

Lorenzo Bertelli, who heads Prada’s Corporate Social Responsibility (how fitting), responded to a formal complaint saying the design is still “in early stages” and promised “a meaningful dialogue” with Indian craftsmen.

On social media, industrialist Harsh Goenka didn’t mince words. “They lose, while global brands cash in on our culture,” he wrote.

Back in Kolhapur, reactions were mixed. “Don’t profit off others’ hard work without credit,” said artisan Prabha Satpute.

So, will this be a turning point or just another luxury label borrowing without credit? Either way, Kolhapuri chappals just got their global catwalk moment—and they didn’t even need a logo.

Manjusha Radhakrishnan
Manjusha RadhakrishnanEntertainment Editor
Manjusha Radhakrishnan has been slaying entertainment news and celebrity interviews in Dubai for 18 years—and she’s just getting started. As Entertainment Editor, she covers Bollywood movie reviews, Hollywood scoops, Pakistani dramas, and world cinema. Red carpets? She’s walked them all—Europe, North America, Macau—covering IIFA (Bollywood Oscars) and Zee Cine Awards like a pro. She’s been on CNN with Becky Anderson dropping Bollywood truth bombs like Salman Khan Black Buck hunting conviction and hosted panels with directors like Bollywood’s Kabir Khan and Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh. She has also covered film festivals around the globe. Oh, and did we mention she landed the cover of Xpedition Magazine as one of the UAE’s 50 most influential icons? She was also the resident Bollywood guru on Dubai TV’s Insider Arabia and Saudi TV, where she dishes out the latest scoop and celebrity news. Her interview roster reads like a dream guest list—Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Shah Rukh Khan, Robbie Williams, Sean Penn, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Joaquin Phoenix, and Morgan Freeman. From breaking celeb news to making stars spill secrets, Manjusha doesn’t just cover entertainment—she owns it while looking like a star herself.
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