After Facing Flak For Not Crediting Artisans, Prada to Hold Meeting With Kolhapuri Chappal Makers
New Delhi: After being criticised for not crediting the artisans of handcrafted Kolhapuri chappals while appropriating identical footwear designs for its new leather sandal collection, Italian luxury fashion house Prada is likely to hold a meeting with artisans from the Kolhapuri chappal-making industry along with representatives of the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MACCIA) to discuss potential avenues of collaboration.
Earlier, after images from Prada’s Milan runway showed models wearing open-toe footwear identical to Kolhapuri chappals, the MACCIA had complained on behalf of thousands of Kolhapuri sandal-makers, the Guardian had reported.
On June 27, the MACCIA had sent a letter sent to Prada in which the body proposed the establishment of a task force to explore collaborative efforts.
The meeting has been proposed by MACCIA and is aimed at initiating dialogue for the formation of a joint working group comprising Prada representatives, local artisans, and members of the industry body that could result in a collaborative effort, reported The Hindu.
If it is constituted, the joint working group will examine the scope of preserving and promoting the 800-year-old legacy of Kolhapuri chappals through global partnerships.
The MACCIA has received a communication wherein Prada has proposed a video call meeting on either July 11 or July 15. The session will be attended by Lorenzo Bertelli, head of corporate social responsibility, Prada Group, and son of the brand’s majority owners; Christopher Aaron Bugg, global director of communication; Roberto Massardi, chief business development officer; and Francesca Secondari, group general counsel.
“We will send them a list of participants from our side. That will include a few local artisans and the representatives of MACCIA,” MACCIA president Lalit Gandhi told The Hindu.
“This task force may focus on: developing co-branded limited edition collections rooted in traditional Kolhapuri designs; skill development and training programmes for rural artisans aligned with global standards; establishing a cultural exchange programme to foster design innovation between Italian and Indian artisans; exploring the possibility of setting up a ‘Prada Artisan Excellence Lab’ in Kolhapur or Mumbai; and supporting a fair trade value chain that brings sustainable economic benefit to the artisan community,” the June 27 letter of the MACCIA had stated, reported the newspaper.
After criticism, an acknowledgement from Prada
The development comes amid the global debate surrounding Prada’s recent launch of leather sandals inspired by Kolhapuri chappals.
‘Prada’ had showcased a design in its Spring Summer 2026 Milan Fashion Week, which appeared to be almost exactly like the handcrafted Kolhapuri chappal.
The Prada sandals are priced at about Rs 1.2 lakh, as per reports. The move has sparked criticism from people across Kolhapur, Maharashtra as well as the rest of India.
At the aftermath of the controversy, The Wire had highlighted the challenges faced by the artisans who craft the Kolhapuri chappal.
After being criticised for not crediting the original design, Prada had also subsequently reached out to MACCIA to acknowledge the cultural roots of the design.
“We acknowledge the sandals … are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, with a centuries-old heritage,” Bertelli, the corporate social responsibility chief at the Italian fashion house, had said in a letter to the Maharashtra chamber of commerce, the Guardian had reported.
The collection includes footwear designs that bear a close resemblance to Kolhapuri sandals, a traditional handcrafted leather sandal that has been awarded ‘geographical indication’ status by the government of India in 2019,” MACCIA president Gandhi had earlier told the publication.
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