Kareena Kapoor subtly shades Prada over Kolhapuri-inspired footwear amid cultural appropriation row

Kareena Kapoor takes a dig at Prada

The renowned Deposito of Fondazione Prada in Milan recently hosted the Men's Spring/Summer 2026 collection by luxury fashion brand Prada.

However, one specific design from the show—sandals that remarkably resembled traditional Kolhapuri chappals from India—generated a lot of criticism online for not giving due credit to the footwear's place of origin.

The controversy surrounding cultural appropriation persists, despite the brand's subsequent acknowledgement of its inspiration. Kareena Kapoor Khan now seems to have added her own nuanced yet incisive voice to the discussion.

Taking to Instagram, Kareena shared a picture of herself unwinding by the beach, with her feet clad in an elegant pair of classic Kolhapuri chappals. Accompanying the picture was a caption that seemed to make a pointed remark at the global fashion giant:

“Sorry not Prada… by my OG Kolapuri .”

The actress’s comment quickly garnered attention, with many interpreting it as a stylish dig at Prada’s recent design controversy.

Following mounting criticism, particularly from Indian social media users and cultural commentators, Prada issued a clarification via Lorenzo Bertelli, a representative of the brand, to the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MACCIA). In his statement, Bertelli said, “We acknowledge that the sandals featured in the recent Prada Men’s 2026 Fashion Show are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, with a centuries-old heritage. We deeply recognize the cultural significance of such Indian craftsmanship."

The Fashion Watchdog Page Concerns about cultural appropriation masquerading as admiration were raised by Diet Sabya, who also voiced her opinion by sharing a video from the Milan runway and emphasising how Western fashion has long appropriated Indian design without giving due credit.

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Kareena, her husband Saif Ali Khan, and their sons Taimur and Jeh are currently on a leisurely vacation in London. The pair, affectionately referred to as "Saifeena," remains one of Bollywood's most admired pairs. Kareena keeps up her social media activity while on vacation, giving followers endearing peeks into her private life.

Regarding her career, Kareena is getting ready for her upcoming movie, Daayra, which she is working on with Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran. The crime drama, which is presently in pre-production and was directed by Meghna Gulzar and co-written by Yash Keswani and Sima Agarwal, is expected to delve deeply into themes of justice and morality.