Prada Team Visits Kolhapur To Meet Local Artisans Amid Kolhapuri Sandal Row

Last Updated:July 16, 2025, 14:29 IST

They met with local artisans in Jawahar Nagar, a hub for Kolhapuri chappal-making, and interacted with craftsmen

A team from Prada visited Kolhapur | Image: ANI

Italian fashion brand Prada, under fire for showcasing Kolhapuri-style slippers without acknowledging their Indian roots, sent a team to Kolhapur to learn more about the traditional craft on Wednesday.

The visit comes days after Prada’s Spring/Summer 2026 show at Milan Fashion Week, where models wore leather slippers, resembling Kolhapuri chappals. Priced at around Rs 1.2 lakh, the footwear sparked backlash in India as it wasn’t credited or linked to its cultural origin.

To address the concerns, six senior members of Prada’s footwear division visited Kolhapur. The team included Paolo Tiveron, head of men’s footwear production, Daniele Contu, a pattern-making manager, and others.

They met with local artisans in Jawahar Nagar, a hub for Kolhapuri chappal-making, and interacted with craftsmen like Shubham Satpute, Balu Gawli, and Sunil Lokre.

“A team has come from Italy to check all the manufacturing units of Kohapuri chappals and to see the technical parts as Prada enters the retail market in Kolhapur, " said a vendor.

The move follows criticism from trade experts and cultural commentators who pointed out that Kolhapuri chappals have held a Geographical Indication (GI) tag since 2019, acknowledging their regional and historical significance.

In response, Prada said it was committed to responsible design and open to collaborating with Indian artisans.

The company also expressed interest in a limited-edition “Made in India" collection inspired by Kolhapuri designs, aiming for a more respectful and collaborative approach going forward.

Location :

Maharashtra, India, India

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News india Prada Team Visits Kolhapur To Meet Local Artisans Amid Kolhapuri Sandal Row