Prada faces legal heat over ‘Kolhapuri-inspired’ sandals, PIL filed in Bombay High Court

The sandals, priced at over Rs 1 lakh per pair, were labelled as ‘Toe Ring Sandals’ by Prada.

The controversy surrounding Italian luxury fashion house Prada over its alleged appropriation of the traditional Indian Kolhapuri chappal has escalated, with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) now filed in the Bombay High Court. The PIL seeks compensation for artisans associated with the GI-tagged footwear and calls for stricter protections for traditional Indian designs.

The petition, filed on July 2 by Ganesh S Hingmire, an advocate specialising in Intellectual Property Rights, accuses Prada of cultural misappropriation, misrepresentation, and unauthorised commercial exploitation of the Kolhapuri chappal design. It specifically objects to the footwear featured during the Prada Men’s 2026 Fashion Show held in Milan on June 22.

The sandals, priced at over Rs 1 lakh per pair, were labelled as ‘Toe Ring Sandals’ by Prada. The PIL alleges that the footwear bears a striking resemblance, both stylistically and culturally, to Kolhapuri chappals, which have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) status under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.

The footwear design, the plea argues, has been rebranded under a European label without appropriate attribution or compensation to the community that has historically crafted them.

“This Public Interest Litigation seeks directions and appropriate reliefs, including an injunction and damages/compensation for the unauthorised commercialisation of a GI-tagged product, which has caused significant harm to the community traditionally associated with it, particularly in Maharashtra State,” the PIL stated, as quoted by ANI.

Prada, in response to the growing backlash, had earlier issued a statement via Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Head of Corporate Social Responsibility. In it, the brand acknowledged the inspiration drawn from Indian traditions.

“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 recognise the cultural significance of such Indian craftsmanship,” Bertelli said. He added that the designs were still in early development stages and had not yet been approved for commercial production.

However, the petition filed in court argues that Prada’s acknowledgement was neither public nor official, and came only after facing intense criticism online. “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,” read the PIL.

The petition further demands that Prada issue a public apology and provide compensation to the artisan community whose legacy has allegedly been exploited. It also urges the implementation of stronger legal frameworks to safeguard traditional Indian craftwork, especially those protected by GI tags, from unauthorised use and commercial misuse by global entities.