Luxury label Prada is in hot water after its men’s 2026 fashion show dropped a sandal that looked a little too much like India’s OG Kolhapuri chappals. Netizens were quick to call out the uncanny resemblance, dragging the brand into a cultural appropriation storm it clearly did not see coming. So what did Prada do? Pack their bags and send a four-member task force straight to the source: Kolhapur.
Prada’s Kolhapuri Chappal I Credits: X/@IamVivekkolhe
Did Prada copy Kolhapuri chappals? The brand just sent a team to find out
On Tuesday, Kolhapur saw a surprise visit from some very fancy guests, a Prada technical team that included the brand’s head of footwear design and two external consultants. Their mission? To check out the real deal: authentic, handcrafted Kolhapuri chappals.
Prada’s Kolhapuri Chappals I Credits: X/@IamVivekkolheThe team got a hands-on experience of the entire production process. According to Lalit Gandhi, president of the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture, the team interacted with artisans, strolled through clusters, and even checked out the local retail buzz.
Prada clarifies saying its ‘inspired’ not copied
Prada has officially acknowledged, via an email to the Chamber, that their sandal design was “inspired” by Indian handcrafted shoes. They were quick to clarify that the piece is not yet in commercial production, still being toyed with in the design room.
Prada’s Kolhapuri Chappals I Credits: X/@IamVivekkolheTranslation? They kind of copied it but are not selling it. Yet.
Collaboration or catastrophe?
Is this cultural appropriation turning into a cultural collaboration? Gandhi thinks the visit shows serious intent. He hinted that the fact Prada sent such a high-level team suggests this is not just PR damage control but maybe even the start of something collaborative. Maybe even the first time a Prada team has touched down in Maharashtra? Big deal.
Prada’s Kolhapuri Chappals I Credits: X/@IamVivekkolheThe Chamber, on their part, had raised concerns the moment the runway images surfaced, demanding proper credit be given to Kolhapur’s artisans, and Prada, surprisingly, did not dodge it.
All eyes on the next move
The Prada team is expected to submit a full report to headquarters, and depending on how that pans out, even senior executives might fly down. So will this end in an international collab? A runway shoutout? Or will the Kolhapuri chappal continue to be luxury’s unsung hero?One thing is clear: fashion may be global, but credit needs to be local.
