When the tradition of hand-passed-down Indian heritage meets the high-end Italian fashion stage, that’s when the drama goes down. In recent times, the Kolhapuri chappal, which is a logo of over a century of artisanal craft from Maharashtra and Karnataka, has gone global not for the reason of newfound interest but because an Italian luxury brand put it in the spotlight at Milan Fashion Week. That which brought out issues of what the original is, what the copy is, what respect for culture is, and what is outright exploitation of age-old Indian craft.
The Kolhapur Story Beyond the Basics of Footwear
Kolhapur chappals are not what you would call average sandals. From the western Indian city of Kolhapur come these open-toe T-strap leather chappals, which have a very rich heritage that goes back to the 12th century. Hand-braided leather, vegetable tanning and special stitching techniques are what give these chappals their unique character, a character that personifies Indian culture and artisanal livelihood.
In 2019, the Indian government recognised the value of this design and gave out Geographical Indication (GI) status to the Kolhapuri chappal, which in turn affirms it as a regional heritage product. GI tags what they do is protect the name and origin of traditional products and tie them to specific geographic areas and artisanal communities.
The Italian Turn: Prada’s Kolhapur style sandals
In June 2025, Prada presented at Milan Fashion Week a sandal design that was very much like the style of Kolhapur chappals, which included the braided straps and classic design — although they were put forth in a different context. That season’s press releases just called them “leather sandals, which did not bring out the connection to Kolhapur or India.
Social media went wild. In India, designers, artisans, and cultural experts said what we are seeing isn’t true inspiration; it is cultural appropriation. Also brought to notice was the irony of traditional footwear, which is handcrafted for as little as ₹300 to ₹2,000 in India and now put back on the runways in the West at luxury prices.
Which designer is influenced by Tradition or Trademark?
Here’s what it is under present intellectual property (IP) laws: it is not clear who owns a cultural design like the Kolhapuri chappal.
1. GI Tags protect names.
Kolhapuri chappals’ GI tag protects the name and origin, but does not, at the same time, protect the look and silhouette of the product. Thus, it is possible for other companies to put out similar styled products abroad, which do not use the GI name in marketing.
2. Design rules favour novelty.
India’s Designs Act supports new and original designs. That which is very iconographic and has been handed down through the generations, although very old, does not meet the novel requirement put forth by this framework, which in turn leaves these out of strong design protection.
3. IP Systems are Blind to the community.
Most IP frameworks do, in fact, support individual creators and time-bound protections, but with Kolhapuri chappals, we see the product of many nameless artisans over generations. Traditional Cultural Expressions, which include this, fall into a grey area which present day copyright and trademark laws do a poor job at recognising collective ownership.
The Backlash and the Aftermath
In India, we saw a quick and large-scale reaction from all segments artisans’ groups to political parties, which pushed for better protection and recognition. Although in a Public Interest Litigation, which sought monetary damages, the Bombay High Court turned a deaf ear to it on technicalities, the issue set off wide-ranging discussions on issues of cultural respect and ethical design.
In some positive news, Prada has been in conversation with Indian artisan groups and also has put forward agreements to produce real Kolhapuri chappals, which will be hand-made by the local craftspeople, a move that sees the company tie in global fashion with traditional craft.
So, what we have here is which party has the claim to the Kolhapuri design? Legally, it is Prada. That which is heritage is of generations of Indian artisans. But culturally and around the globe, the issue is very much in flux. The debate is not just over trademarks or which runway did it better; it is about which party do we give credit to, which legacy do we protect in this global environment, and which culture do we see put aside for a trend, or do we put forth a sustainable celebration of our cultural past?
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