Say sorry, pay money: Plea against Prada for copying Kolhapuri chappal design

India Today

11 hours ago

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court seeking a direction to restrain fashion brand PRADA from commercialising and using "toe ring sandals," which are essentially "Kolhapuri Chappals" that are originally a GI Tagged product from Western Maharashtra.The Kolhapuri Chappal holds deep cultural significance, forms an essential part of India's heritage, and is named after the district of Kolhapur, where it is primarily produced.advertisementThe plea was filed by a group of advocates from Mumbai and Pune who work in the field of intellectual property rights. The plea, led by Advocate Ganesh S. Hingmire, also seeks a direction to Prada Group and Prada India Fashion Private Limited to issue a public apology, acknowledging the unauthorised use of the "Kolhapuri Chappal" GI product, and to commit that no unauthorised use of GIs will occur in the future.
It further demands that the rights of the Indian artisan community be expressly recognised. The plea also seeks compensation for the artisan community for reputational and economic damage.The petition concerns the alleged unauthorised commercialisation of the "Kolhapuri Chappal" during an international fashion event, Spring Summer Men's Collection 2026, held in Milan, Italy, on 22nd June 2025. Videos from the fashion show went viral, with many pointing to the similarity between the footwear showcased and traditional Kolhapuri Chappals.The fashion company acknowledged that its new sandal designs 'are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, with a centuries-old heritage.'The PIL filed in the High Court seeks directions and appropriate reliefs, including an injunction and damages/compensation for the unauthorised commercialisation of a GI-tagged product. The petition claims that this commercialisation has caused significant harm to the community traditionally associated with the product, particularly in the state of Maharashtra.The petition is specifically filed against the international brand PRADA for the unauthorised display and exploitation of the well-known Indian cultural product "Kolhapuri Chappal."The plea states that the 'infringement of the design of the Kolhapuri Chappal by a luxury fashion label occurred without the knowledge or consent of the GI application holder or the authorised users.'The petitioners disclosed that they obtained information on the issue through various news articles and social media platforms.The plea cites examples of various other major fashion brands and argues that these patterns of cultural appropriation go beyond aesthetic borrowing."They constitute intellectual and economic exploitation. In an industry driven by branding and exclusivity, uncredited replication weakens the negotiating power of India's artisan groups, denies them the economic rents they rightly deserve, and tacitly endorses a system in which Western luxury brands profit off unremunerated traditional knowledge,' the petition said.advertisement'Protecting these crafts under intellectual property regimes whether through Gls, design registrations or moral-rights legislation is essential to ensure that the creative heritage remains both economically viable and culturally respected. Only by demanding transparency, attribution and fair remuneration can the fashion world move from a paradigm of extraction to one of genuine, reciprocal collaboration," it added.The plea is yet to be heard by the High Court.- Ends