Luxury fashion house Prada says it is open to a “dialogue for meaningful exchange with local Indian artisans” after being called out for failing to mention the origin of the design of its latest line of sandals.
The sandals, showcased at the Milan Fashion Week last week, had an open-toe braided pattern that closely resembled the traditional Kolhapuri sandals made in the Indian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Named after a city in Maharashtra where they are made, Kolhapuri sandals trace their roots back to the 12th Century.
The BBC reports that Prada described the sandals as “leather footwear” but did not mention its Indian origins, prompting backlash and allegations of cultural appropriation in India.
However, a Prada spokesperson said that the company had “always celebrated craftsmanship, heritage and design traditions”, adding that it was “in contact with the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture on this topic”.
The business chamber had last week complained that the sandal design was being commercialised without crediting the artisans who had preserved its heritage for generations.
Prada’s head of Corporate Social Responsibility. Lorenzo Bertelli, is quoted as saying that the sandals were “at an early stage of design”, and that Prada was open to a “dialogue for meaningful exchange with local Indian artisans”.