Prada forced to acknowledge Indian roots of their new sandal design after being accused of cultural appropriation

Daily Mail​

5 days ago

Prada has been forced to acknowledge that its new 'leather' shoes were inspired by Indian designs after the Italian fashion house was accused of cultural appropriation.
The sandals, showcased last week at Milan Fashion Week, had an open-toe braided pattern that closely resembled the traditional Kolhapuri sandals made in the Indian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
In official descriptions, Prada characterized the sandals as 'leather footwear' - omitting its Indian origins.
Responding to the backlash, a Prada spokesperson admitted that the sandals were influenced by traditional Indian footwear.
They added: 'Prada has always celebrated craftsmanship, heritage and design traditions.
'Prada acknowledges that sandals inspired by traditional Indian footwear made in specific districts in Maharashtra and Karnataka, India, were featured in its Men's 2026 Spring Summer show in Milan.
'We are committed to responsible design practices, fostering cultural engagement.
'We are in contact with the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture on this topic.
Made from leather and often dyed in natural colours, the traditional handmade sandals which typically cost just a few hundred rupees (around £2.50) are well suited to India's hot climate.
Last week the head of the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture wrote to Prada criticising the group for not crediting the artisans who had preserved the heritage of the traditional Kolhapuri sandals.
Responding, Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada's head of Corporate Social Responsibility wrote in a letter addressed to the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture that Prada would organise follow-up meetings with local Indian artisans to create a 'dialogue for meaningful exchange'.
He added: 'The sandals are at an early stage of design and it is not certain they will be commercialized.
Made from leather and often dyed in natural colours, the traditional handmade sandals which typically cost just a few hundred rupees (around £2.50) are well suited to India's hot climate.
It is not known how much Prada would charge for these leather shoes but Prada's typical footwear costs customers between £600 to £1,000.
This is not the first time that global brands have been accused of appropriating traditional designs without due accreditation.
In 2016 Victoria's Secret was accused of cultural appropriation after Adriana Lima, Elsa Hosk and Lais Ribeiro—who are not Chinese by descent—wore Asian-inspired looks that featured a feathered dragon, a qipao-like bolero, and Chinese knot tassels.
Meanwhile, Marc Jacobs caused anger when his Spring 2017 runway show featured dreadlock extensions on a cast of mainly white models including Karlie Kloss, Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid.