REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo
Prada is rethinking how it’s selling its new leather sandals after facing backlash on social media.
An Indian state commerce department said in a Saturday statement that the Italian fashion brand has agreed to collaborate with Indian artisans to create a “Made in India” collection.
This comes after Prada debuted flat-soled leather sandals, with a thin strap connecting the toe ring to the central belt, on June 22 at its 2026 spring/summer menswear show in Milan.
The sandals bore a striking resemblance to the Kolhapuri chappal, a style of handcrafted leather sandal made in India’s Kolhapur city, in the central state of Maharashtra. The Kolhapuri chappal is widely available across Maharashtra and is sold in small, independently owned artisan shops.
According to an interview the BBC conducted with a Kolhapuri chappal artisan, the sandals cost $8 to $10.
Prada’s website did not include a price tag for the Kolhapuri-style leather sandals, but other sandals sold by the brand start at $750, with some costing upward of $1,000, per its website.
The shoes quickly triggered backlash from South Asian users on social media, who said Prada was appropriating the traditional design without due credit. Prada does not have any retail outlets in India.
In response to the backlash it had received, Prada told the BBC in June that it had “always celebrated craftsmanship, heritage and design traditions,” and was “in contact with the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture on this topic.”
On Saturday, the chamber posted on X that it held a successful meeting with Prada representatives on Friday, which ended with an agreement to work on a “Made in India” collection of Kolhapuri sandals.
“The next step will be for Prada’s supply chain team to meet a range of artisanal footwear manufacturers,” the company said in a statement to Reuters.
Representatives for Prada and the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture did not respond to queries from BI asking for details about the new collection and when it would be launched.
Prada’s stock price has been down nearly 25% since the start of this year. However, it reported strong first-quarter results, with a 13% increase in net revenues in the latest quarter compared to the year before.
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