Prada credits the traditional ‘Kolhapuri' sandal amid backlash
Images from Prada's fashion show in Milan last weekend showed models wearing leather sandals with a braided design that resembled handmade Kolhapuri slippers with designs dating back to the 12th century.
A wave of criticism in the media and from lawmakers followed over the Italian brand's lack of public acknowledgement of the Indian sandal design, which is named after a city in the western state of Maharashtra.
Lorenzo Bertelli, son of Prada's owners, responded to the sandal scandal in a letter to a trade group on Friday recognising their Indian heritage.
'We acknowledge that the sandals… are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, with a centuries-old heritage,' Bertelli, Prada's head of corporate social responsibility, wrote in the letter to the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, seen by Reuters.
The sandals are at an early stage of design and it is not certain they will be commercialized, but Prada is open to a 'dialogue for meaningful exchange with local Indian artisans' and will arrange follow-up meetings, he wrote.
A Prada spokesperson issued a statement acknowledging the sandal's inspiration from India, adding the company has 'always celebrated craftsmanship, heritage and design traditions'.
Prada products are beyond the reach of most Indians. Its men's leather sandals retail for $844 and up, while the Kolhapuri slippers, sold in Indian shops and street markets, start at about $12.
India's luxury market is small but growing fast, with rising numbers of rich people buying Louis Vuitton bags, Lamborghini cars, luxury homes and watches.
Conversely, Indian culture and crafts are increasingly finding their way into global brand designs. High-end jeweller Bulgari offers a $16,000 Mangalsutra necklace inspired by a chain traditionally worn by married women.
Bertelli's homage to Indian design was sent in a response to a complaint from the head of the trade group that represents 3,000 Kolhapuri sandal artisans, as the online uproar gathered momentum.
'From the dusty lanes of Kolhapur to the glitzy runways of Milan… will the world finally give credit where it's due?' India's DNA News posted on X.
Sambhaji Chhatrapati from the Kolhapur Royal family told Reuters by phone he was upset that craftsmen had not been acknowledged for the 'history and heritage of 150 years.'
Kolhapur-based businessman Dileep More, however, said images of the Prada sandal were bringing cheer to some artisans as they show their traditional product going global.
'They are happy that someone is recognising their work,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Govt mulling resolving IWT row via Indus body
ISLAMABAD: The government is planning to resolve the matter of abeyance of Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) by India through Permanent Indus Commissioners of the two signatories, Pakistan and India, but If there is no substantial outcome, then Pakistan would consider approaching the Permanent Court of Arbitration. This was stated by Attorney-General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan while speaking to Business Recorder. The process involves Pakistan approaching the World Bank, the broker of IWT, for constitution of Court of Arbitration (CoA), after Indian government's unilateral decision of putting the IWT in abeyance subsequent to the 23 April 2025 terrorist attack near Pahalgam in Illegal Occupied Held Kashmir citing national security concerns. IWT: PM hails arbitration court's ruling 'We are preparing our case to seek all legal remedies to stop New Delhi from blatant violation of the Treaty unilaterally which is still inforce as per the international law,' informed sources told Business Recorder. According to Article 9 of IWT, if a question arises on the applicability of the Treaty between the two signatory countries, and in case both do not agree on a resolution mechanism bilaterally or G2G then the affected party will approach the third party. In this instance, the third party is CoA as a neutral expert is limited to deal only with the design of a project. The remedy to approach CoA is the role of the World Bank, as no country as an aggrieved party can establish CoA itself and for this purpose agreement of both parties is not necessary. The sources said, when an aggrieved party approaches the World Bank for establishment of CoA, the Bank has to establish CoA and it is the duty of CoA to take a decision on the application of the aggrieved country as it cannot hold the application on the grounds of reaching a consensus between the parties. However, in case the World Bank does not forward Pakistan's application for establishment of CoA under influence of some 'powers' and puts it aside, even then it willbe to the benefit of Pakistan as it would have adopted a legal course in accordance with the law and in case of any other step the burden will be on India for not following the legal course. 'Pakistan has decided to adopt legal course. We will go to the Court of Arbitration which will give its verdict as per its mandate,' the sources said, adding that in case the World Bank does not establish CoA, it will be enough for the world powers to understand that whatever legal course was available Pakistan adopted it before taking any adverse action. If CoA gives its verdict in favour of Pakistan and India does not implement it, then Pakistan has legal justification for considering it an act of war. When the case is taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), both countries have to accept its jurisdiction. However, if the United Nations passes a resolution on the matter, then IJC is bound to hear an application/ petition of a party as an organ of UN like the World Bank. CoA is established under Indus Waters Treaty whereas IJC can hear any case. Currently, Pakistan is sharing water related data with India unilaterally which means if a question arises at any international fora if Pakistan has shared all the information with New Delhi, then Pakistan would be in the better position. Pakistan has also shared information about variation in inflows in Chenab river at Maralla through Ministry of Foreign Affairs but received no response. CoA recently delivered a supplemental award related to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) which was rejected by India, while Pakistan accepted it. The decision relates to a dispute concerning the construction of hydroelectric power plants on the Western rivers, specifically the Kishanganga (2013) and Ratle (2015) projects. The CoA's supplemental award appears to address outstanding issues or clarifications following its earlier rulings. In 25 January 2023, India issued a notice to Pakistan conveying its intent to amend the IWT within 90 days to guarantee that disputes would be handled between the two nations without any outside interference. The notice of negotiation was issued just two days before the COA, established at Pakistan's request under the IWT, was to commence which was boycotted by India. According to the Attorney General of Pakistan's (AGP) office, on April 5, 2023, Pakistan responded to the Indian notice in which it was stated that Pakistan was ready to listen to New Delhi's concerns about the prevalent treaty at the level of the Permanent Commission of Indus Waters (PCIW). The decision about the parleys on changes to the Treaty will be taken once Pakistan hears India's concerns at the PCIW level. However, under Article XII, the existing Treaty will continue to reign unless the parties to the dispute, Pakistan and India, bilaterally introduce changes to the Pact. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
11 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Why are farm goods holding up the India-US trade deal?
MUMBAI: U.S. and India trade negotiators were pushing on Wednesday to finalise a tariff-reducing deal ahead of President Donald Trump's July 9 negotiating deadline, but disagreements over U.S. dairy and agriculture remained unresolved. Why are farm goods imports sensitive in India? Agriculture and its allied areas contribute just 16% to India's $3.9 trillion economy, but sustain nearly half of the country's 1.4 billion population. As farmers remain the most powerful voting bloc, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government was forced into a rare retreat four years ago when it tried to push through controversial farm laws. The prospect of cheaper imports from the United States threatens to drive down local prices, handing the opposition a fresh opportunity to attack the government. New Delhi has traditionally kept agriculture out of Free Trade Agreements with other nations. Granting market access to the U.S. could force India to extend similar concessions to other trading partners. Indian rupee supported by hopes of India-US trade deal, weak US jobs data How do Indian and US farms compare? The average Indian farm comprises just 1.08 hectares, compared to 187 hectares in the United States. In dairy, the average herd size in India is two to three animals per farmer, compared to hundreds in the United States. This difference makes it difficult for small Indian farmers to compete with their U.S. counterparts. Farming in India remains largely unmechanized because small, fragmented land holdings leave little room for large machinery. In many regions, farmers rely on techniques passed down through generations, a sharp contrast to U.S. farms, where cutting-edge equipment and AI-driven technologies have raised productivity. Which products is US lobbying for? Why is India resisting? The United States is pressing India to open its markets to a wide range of American products, including dairy, poultry, corn, soybeans, rice, wheat, ethanol, citrus fruits, almonds, pecans, apples, grapes, canned peaches, chocolates, cookies, and frozen French fries. While India is willing to grant greater access to U.S. dry fruits and apples, it is holding back on allowing imports of corn, soybeans, wheat, and dairy products. India does not allow genetically modified (GM) food crops, while most U.S. corn and soybean production is GM-based. Dairy remains a sensitive issue in India, where cultural and dietary preferences strongly influence food choices. Indian consumers are particularly concerned that cattle in the U.S. are often fed with animal by-products, a practice that conflicts with Indian food habits. US, India push for trade pact after Trump strikes deal with Vietnam, sources say Why does India oppose us ethanol for blending with gasoline? A key aim of India's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) program is to cut dependence on energy imports by blending domestically-produced ethanol with gasoline. Significant investments by domestic companies mean that India is now close to achieving its ambitious target of blending 20% ethanol. Importing ethanol would undermine those companies. The EBP also helps manage surpluses of rice, sugarcane, and corn by diverting them to ethanol production. Allowing imports of U.S. ethanol would be a serious setback for India's emerging distillery sector.
Business Recorder
13 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Modi pushes further India-Africa cooperation on Ghana visit
ACCRA: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday outlined plans for deeper ties between his country and Africa, as New Delhi increasingly vies for a stronger economic presence on the continent along with China and Russia. In a speech to Ghana's parliament, Modi highlighted a major rail project that opened in the west African nation last year, financed by the India Export-Import Bank. He also underlined his country's expanding diplomatic development and business footprint in Africa. 'Over 200 projects across the continent enhance connectivity, infrastructure and Industrial capacity,' Modi said. On the political front he welcomed 'the establishment of Ghana-India Parliamentary Friendship Society in your parliament'. Modi's visit is the first to Ghana by an Indian leader in three decades. But India's rival China remains the most important backer of infrastructure across the continent, a position only strengthened as the United States and other Western powers slash aid programmes. In a meeting Wednesday, Modi and Ghanaian President John Mahama agreed to deepen security and mining ties. In November 2024, the Indian prime minister visited Nigeria, discussing trade and security at a time when Indian companies had expressed interest in investing in Nigerian industries including steel. The Indian prime minister also on Thursday called for a greater global diplomatic role for both his country and Africa, warning that 'the world order created after the Second World War is changing fast'. Global South's voice Modi noted that the African Union had been admitted as a permanent member to the G20 while India held the rotating presidency of the bloc. Progress on worldwide challenges including climate change, diplomacy, 'terrorism' and pandemics 'cannot come without giving voice to the Global South', he added. India, Canada return ambassadors as Carney, Modi look past spat India, the world's most populous country and a nuclear-armed power, has close ties with Russia but is often in rivalry with China. Resource-rich Ghana is Modi's first stop in a tour that will take the Indian premier to four other countries in Africa, the Caribbean and South America. The visit to Accra came as he made his way to Brazil for a summit of the BRICS group of emerging economies on Sunday and Monday. Highlighting his own country's economic development aspirations to become a 'developed nation by 2047,' Modi said 'India remains a committed partner in Africa's development journey.'
