25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Is Prada a repeat offender in cultural appropriation? Jutti-gate follows Kolhapuri fiasco
The line between inspiration and template is apparently very, very thin. Elf-like pumps or juttis from Punjab? Prada yet again finds itself under fire in allegations of cultural appropriation(Photos: Instagram/Jaypore)
Late last month, Prada debuted its Men's Spring Summer 2025 collection at the Deposito of the Fondazione Prada, Milan. While the whimsical and softly futuristic collection did turn heads, what stole the show, and in the worst way possible, were the luxury house's very own 'Kolhapuri chappals' making their runway debut.
What's wrong with the Kolhapuri going global you ask? Nothing really, except that none of the western world would know it was the Kolhapuri walking the runway had it not been for the Indian diaspora's global outrage over the absolute lack of acknowledgement over the inspiration for the design. So much so that the matter reached court and an obscure team from Prada reached Kolhapur in Maharashtra, in an attempt to review manufacturing facilities, take samples and tour the city's retail market area.
The controversy was only just waning when within a month on the it or happened again.
The official Prada website now carries the listing for a pair of 'antiqued leather pumps' in a sandy tan brown — the standout detail on it looking an awful lot like Punjabi juttis. The frayed flap marking symmetry and the pointed tip of the shoe are all the pointers anyone needs. And people are honestly baffled.
They're pump heels for sure but where does the 'antique' tag come from? Is it the centuries worth of history it holds, an enduring example of aesthetic Indian culture? Or is it just meant to add weight to the exotic tax?
As per a PTI report published earlier this month, Prada had released a statement in the throes of the controversy, outlining how the much-contested 'Kolhapuris' were actually inspired by Indian handcrafted footwear. But they also made sure to assert how "the sandals featured in the men's 2026 fashion show are still at the design stage and none of the pieces worn by models on the ramp are confirmed to be commercialised".
