- By Nidhi Giri
- Fri, 04 Jul 2025 02:30 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court demanding compensation for Kolhapuri chappal artisans from the Italian luxury fashion house Prada after it copied their design in the Prada Men's 2026 Fashion Show held in Milan, Italy, in JuneThe plea stated that the footwear was rebranded under the European label without acknowledging their true origins.
Kolhapuri Chappal is already protected as a Geographical Indication (GI) under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
Following a massive backlash for plagiarising Indian artisans' work, Prada shared a statement accepting that its latest summer wear collection was "inspired by Indian artisans". However, the petitioners claim that the Prada has not issued any "formal apology" along with any "damages", "compensation" and "entitled remedy" to the Maharashtrian artisans.
ALSO READ: Chennai Power Cut On July 5: TANGEDCO Announces Shutdown On Saturday; Check List Of Areas, Timings
"The Kolhapuri Chappal is the cultural symbol of Maharashtra and having special public sentiments attached with it. The brand has privately accepted that its collection is "inspired by Indian artisans," however, this acknowledgement surfaced only after facing widespread backlash on various social media platforms. This acknowledgement was given to the private entity and not to the applicant, makers of Kolhapuri Chappal, GI Registry, Government or the public at large. The brand has not yet issued any formal apology along with any damages, compensation and entitled remedy and the statement appears to be merely a superficial attempt to deflect criticism," the PIL read.
The sandals, priced at over Rs 1 lakh per pair, shocked people. While some called it high-end fashion, others questioned spending that much on a pair of everyday chappals.
