Prada bashed for showcasing ₹1.2 lakh priced Kolhapuri chappals at Milan fashion show with no credit to India

Italian luxury fashion house Prada has landed in controversy for featuring Kolhapuri chappals at a jaw-dropping price of ₹1.2 lakh without giving any credit to India.

Even if price is not the issue, the high-fashion brand has given no credit to the original Indian artisans and called the designs “leather flat sandals”.

Prada features Indian Kolhapuri chappals with no credit to artisans

Prada’s recent Men’s Spring/Summer 2026 show in Milan featured at least seven of the 56 runway looks with models walking the ramp wearing sandals that bear a striking resemblance to traditional Kolhapuris, complete with tan leather, thin straps, and toe rings. 

Led by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, the luxury label even handed out leather "ring" tokens at the event, showcasing the toe-loop design that is a signature element of the Kolhapuri chappal.

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About Kolhapuri chappals

The popular leather sandals, handcrafted for centuries in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur region, appeared on one of the world’s most prestigious fashion runways and faced backlash for not acknowledging their cultural significance.

Incidentally, Kolhapuri chappals received a Geographical Indication tag from the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks in 2019.

This tag officially recognised these chappals to have originated across eight districts—Kolhapur, Sangli, Solapur, and Satara in Maharashtra, and Belgaum, Dharwad, Bagalkot, and Bijapur in Karnataka.

Netizens react

The world-famous luxury brand faced severe backlash from netizens.

“Prada is selling Kolhapuri chappals for ₹1.2 lakh,” one user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote. “These handcrafted chappals—part of Maharashtra’s legacy—sell for ₹300–₹1500 in Kolhapur’s markets. Prada slaps on a logo, calls them ‘leather sandals,’ and erases their cultural roots. It’s not luxury, it’s theft.”

Another user pointed out, “This design was stolen from the Chamar community of India, who’ve handcrafted these for generations. No credit. No acknowledgment. Just pure cultural theft dressed in luxury branding.”

However, Indian novelist and columnist Shobhaa De told NDTV, "I don't understand what the outrage is about at all. We should be amused. If anything, we may be flattered. I don't think we should be getting up in arms about this. It's maybe some kind of an indirect tribute. Who knows it will lead to a revival."

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