Prada's sandal scandal sees centuries-old heritage given credit - but it's not enough

Attempting to avoid the wave of backlash that followed the 'Scandinavian scarf' trend, luxury designer Prada issued a statement which acknowledging the South Asian inspiration behind its viral men's "leather footwear" - but is it too little, too late?

During Milan's Fashion Week, Prada launched its Menswear Spring/Summer collection for 2026, which featured summer sandals advertised as "leather footwear". The one catch being that they were identical replicas of India's Kolhapuri chappal - traditional, hand-crafted leather slippers often tanned using vegetable dyes.

Made in regions Maharashtra and Karnataka, the T-strapped sandals are worn by farmers, workmen and the royals of India, their origin tracing back to the 12th century Kolhapur. Known to be made without nails or synthetic materials, these sandals are bothdurable and eco-friendly - a must for current and young consumers.

READ MORE: TAHIRA ALI: 'Fast fashion is selling Desi clothing without acknowledging our culture'

So when the models of Milanwalked the runway of the world's biggest fashion week, Indians and other South Asians alike were notably upset by the repeated crime of Western brands pocketing both profits and credits for an age-old design.

The main argument of South Asian consumers and critics was that these "modern day sandals" were available at many Indian stores, and for a fraction of the price. The inflation of the 'every man's' shoe for a luxury market appeared to add fuel to the current debate on the European stripping of Desi culture.

In Prada's comment section, one user wrote: "If you don't credit the place or culture it cam from, it's not "inspiration" anymore, it's just copying," with many sharing their anger at the use of term "inspired" for a design over 800 years old. Another named Jai sarcastically said: "You guys, everything is ok. They're in contact with the chamber of commerce. It's history repeating itself". @medanmeicority added "You will find this in street shops for 350 INR - that is approx. four dollars".

Cultural and fashion critic, Pranjal Jain, spoke to the Mirror on how South Asian designs are treated, stating her agreement in the righteous anger of her community over Prada's lacklustre Instagram post naming the sandals as chappals a week after their global debut.

Though she acknowledged the economic pressure of South Asian designers to fold to pressures of catering to Western tastes (to compete with their repurposed designs), she reinforced the importance of people of the diaspora "to speak out against it, but also thinks that that's only step one".

"I think India and South Asia needs to have a stronger offence than defence. So I don't think we should be acting from a reactionary position, we should be acting from an active position". Her solution? Geographic Indicator (GI) tagging being made a legal enforcement onto brands wishing to draw from cultural designs.

GI tagging is the category protection of intellectual property, known to have passed in India "almost a couple decades ago," said the fashion writer, who gave the example of basmati rice. By GI tagging products, people that "are actually working with artisan communities and that craft can [help designs] remain in the region it's from," said Pranjal.

"On a global scale, if we were to hold these giants to GI tagging, they're obligated to work with artisans and actually pay them fairly," she said.

Interestingly, following the backlash, a Prada spokesperson told the Mirror: "At Prada Group, we have always celebrated craftsmanship, heritage and design traditions. Prada acknowledges that sandals inspired by traditional Indian footwear made in specific districts in Maharashtra and Karnataka, India, were featured in its Men’s 2026 Spring Summer show in Milan".

They also shared: "We are committed to responsible design practices, fostering cultural engagement, and opening a dialogue for a meaningful exchange with local Indian artisan communities as we have done in the past in other collections to ensure the rightful recognition of their craft. We are in contact with the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture on this topic."

They added that the designer was not opposed to a "meaningful exchange with local Indian artisans," a sure indicator of Pranjal's hopes for the future of South Asian artistry.

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