In a letter to the Indian Wirtschaftsverband Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (Maccia), the Italian luxury fashion house Prada officially confirmed that the sandals from the recent fashion show for men, which had a striking resemblance to the traditional Indian Kolhapuri sandals, were actually inspired by the legendary shoes.
According to the message received by the Maccia, Prada proposed a video conference with the Chamber of Commerce. This is intended to have further conversations and to explore possible ways of cooperation, including co-branding of the legendary footwear. The meeting is temporarily planned for July 11th or 15th. The Prada Group is represented by: Lorenzo Bertelli, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility; Christopher Aaron Bugg, Global Director of Communication; Roberto Massardi, Chief Business Development Officer and Francesca Secondari, Group General Counsel.
The controversy was created after Prada marketed these sandals under its own label without mentioning their Indian origin. The Maccia then wrote to Patrizio Bertelli, a director at Prada, to address this concerns. In response, Lorenzo Bertelli sent a written notification to the Maccia. He praised the worldwide recognition of the Kolhapuri Chappal sandals as a symbol of the identity of the Indian city and the cultural pride of the state.
The brand admitted to presenting sandals in Kolhapuri style on their show. These were initially presented as Italian, which led to allegations of cultural appropriation and the commercial exploitation of traditional Indian crafts without adequate recognition or compensation.
The appeal of the local artisans: Inside in Kolhapur, the Maccia prompted to intervene. The artisans: inside expressed their deep dismay about the considerable discrepancy between their income and pradas prices. While local artisans produce authentic Kolhapuri chappals for only 400 Indian rupees (around four euros), Prada said reported to Kolhapuri-style sandals for over 100,000 Indian rupees (almost 1,000 euros).
Disprovingly through the lack of recognition and the large commercial gap, the artisans asked: the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce on the inside. In order to defend the legacy of the artisans: inside and the cultural importance of footwear, Lalit Gandhi, President of the Maccia, turned to Prada to clarify the facts.
In his comprehensive answer, Prada recognized that the sandals shown at the Prada men’s fashion show FS26 represent a centuries -old Indian craft tradition.
The company expressed its understanding of the cultural value of Indian craftsmanship and committed to “responsible design practices, increased cultural commitment and the opening of a meaningful dialogue with local craftsmanship in India”. Prada also assured the Maccia to honor, honor and preserve the unique craftsmanship, excellence and inheritance. The brand also openly declared further discussions and meetings with the Maccia to explore opportunities for cooperation.
This article was used with digital tools translated.
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