In India, Prada faces the sandal scandal

The story begins in Milan last week. On the runways of Fashion Week, Prada presented a new line of leather sandals.

7,000 kilometers away, in southwest India, Harish Kurade, a young leatherworker interviewed by Al-Jazeera , writes: “The world has its eyes fixed on our chappals from Kolhapur. They have stolen our know-how!”

The term chappal means “sandal” in Marathi, the language spoken in Maharashtra, where the small town of Kolhapur is located.

This locality gave its name to kolhapuri (from the Anglo-Saxon spelling), sandals “renowned for their distinctive braided leather straps, intricate cutouts and sturdy construction,” reports The Indian Express .

But for everyday use, “these are not just shoes: they are the symbol of a regional identity and of artisanal know-how passed down from generation to generation.”

The making of these sandals dates back to the ^12th century. Like that of Harish Kurade, more than 20,000 families ensure the sustainability of this craft in the Kolhapur region, recalls Al-Jazeera .

So much so that India officially recognized the geographical indication Kolhapuri Chappals in 2019 to protect its specificity.

Problem: “This protection does not extend beyond India’s borders,” The Hindu states . “There is no international framework prohibiting the aesthetic imitation of indigenous designs.”

A “completely legal gray area” that major luxury brands are happy to enter.

However, the Indian Express criticises the Milan show: “Prada did not mention India, Kolhapur or the artisanal heritage of this know-how.”

Worse, “the brand is reportedly considering selling the product for more than 100,000 rupees [nearly 1,000 euros], while Indian artisans sell the pair for between 500 and 1,000 rupees.”

Asked by the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Prada's management, quoted by Al-Jazeera, finally acknowledged that its new sandal models "are inspired by traditional Indian shoes made by hand thanks to a centuries-old heritage."

And assures, in the newspeak of modern marketing, that it “strives to pay tribute to and recognize the value of these specialized artisans who represent an unparalleled level of excellence.” Fine, but concretely? Nothing.

"At the heart of this controversy lies the concept of cultural appropriation," continues the Indian Express, citing as examples several French designers, always inclined to demonize, not without hypocrisy, "the scourge of counterfeiting."

In 2019, the Christian Dior brand used patterns that copied traditional Mexican outfits without actually referencing them.

Louis Vuitton, for its part, recycled Indian embroidery in its collections without notifying the designers.

In his small workshop in the suburbs of Kolhapur, young Harish Kurade is torn, as he felt honored to see his sandals on international catwalks.

Rather than an apology, he explains, “true respect would lie in Prada creating a collection in collaboration with the artisans of Kolhapur for fair recognition, profit sharing, and global visibility. ”