Kolhapuri Chappals and the Global Runway: IP & Cultural Dialogue

Prada's recent Spring/Summer 2026 collection, featuring footwear strikingly similar to India's Kolhapuri Chappals, sparked significant debate. This incident underscores critical issues of intellectual property, cultural appreciation, and appropriation in global fashion.

The Kolhapuri Chappal is more than just a sandal; it's a centuries-old craft with a unique cultural heritage, protected by a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in India since 2019. This GI signifies its origin and distinct qualities.

IP Nuances in Focus:

1. GI's Territorial Limits: While the GI protects the "Kolhapuri" name within India, its legal reach doesn't automatically extend internationally. Prada, by avoiding the specific name, may technically circumvent direct GI infringement in other jurisdictions, despite the clear design inspiration.

   
   

2. Design Rights: The challenge lies in applying modern design rights to ancient, community-created crafts. Traditional designs often exist in a legal grey area, raising questions of "public domain" versus proprietary aesthetics.

   
   

3. Cultural Appropriation vs. Appreciation: Beyond legal definitions, the core of the controversy lies in ethics. When luxury brands, without clear acknowledgement, credit, or fair compensation, profit from designs rooted in the heritage of often marginalized artisan communities, it raises vital questions about equitable benefit sharing.

   
   

Following public outcry, Prada acknowledged its sandals were "inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear." This incident emphasizes the growing power of public discourse and the urgent need for a global creative ecosystem that balances inspiration with ethical sourcing, transparency, and genuine respect for the origins of design.