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Khaleej Times

Prada team heads to Kolhapur: Making amends or PR stunt?

Called out for cultural appropriation, Italian fashion house Prada is trying hard to backtrack after its use of sandals that looked suspiciously like Kolhapuri chappals at a show but didn't acknowledge its Indian heritage went viral. It's latest move: A team trip to the land where the one-toed leather slippers were actually created and crafted for centuries. The group was spotted visiting Subhash Nagar factory and Papachi Tata's sandal line. Indian news agency ANI quoted one shopkeeper as saying: 'They had come to see authentic leather bags and liked our Kolhapur, especially the Kapashi Kolhapuri chappal.' And another vendor reportedly said that the group had flown down to India to inspect manufacturing units. "We offer authentic stitching and original quality Kolhapuri chappals," he said. Some netizens however found the trip a 'convenient' move and called it a PR stunt. 'So social media abuse made them realise', while another remarked, 'It's screaming PR.' 'I hope they don't learn the formula, apply on their brand and earn millions. Just outsource it to them and let them earn too,' said another user. Dubai-based PR professional Pavitra Rao said: "As someone in PR, this looks more like a smart move to fix their image than a truly honest apology. Prada showing up in Kolhapur feels more like a photo moment than real change. If they really care, we'll see it in what they do next — not just this one visit." Meanwhile, some Indians in Dubai couldn't help but dust off their old sandals and parade them, after all, they were suddenly in vogue again. Ad man Akheel Hassan said: "I bought my pair seven years ago, but haven't had much occasion to wear them. Now that they are trending though, it just made sense to dig them out and pair them up with an outfit." And celebrity fashionista Kareena Kapoor Khan took a slight dig at the brand, posting a photo of her feet in silver Kolhapuris on social media, captioning it: 'She wrote, "Sorry not Prada… (laughing and punching emoji) but my OG kolapuri (heart emoji).' Indian influencer Diipa Büller-Khosla , who is also the founder of ayurvedistry brand indē wild, weighed in on the debate, telling Khaleej Times: 'Ultimately, I'm glad Indian craftsmanship is finally being seen and valued on a global stage. But recognition without representation isn't enough. Brands have to go beyond inspiration; they need to give credit, collaborate, and create opportunities for the communities they're drawing from. Uplifting the craft means uplifting the craftsmen too.' So, what happened? The whole chappal saga began back in June at the spring/summer menswear show in Milan when the luxury brand featured open-toed sandals on the runway. Cool they might have been, but they sorely lacked any acknowledgment of Indian inspiration, resulting in a furore as A-listers (and those in the fashion business) made a quick connection between the two. The key difference seemed to be a) the brand and b) the price point. While one from a plush Indian brand will (even after all the Prada-row controversy) cost no more than Rs4,000 (Dh170, Dh46), Prada billed its fancy footwear at $1,200. Days later, Prada issued a statement on its social media platforms addressing the issue. 'At Prada Group, we have 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, and opening a dialogue for a meaningful exchange with local Indian artisan communities as we have done in the past in other collections to ensure the rightful recognition of their craft. We are in contact with Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce on this topic.' The Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce was quoted by Reuters as saying that Lorenzo Bertelli, son of Prada's owners and head of its corporate social responsibility, joined the talks on Friday. Since then, the news of the international trip has been making rounds. Is it simply an acknowledgement of a legacy and tradition or a bald-faced PR stunt? You decide.