Latest news with #Artisans
Zawya
02-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
After Prada 'sandal scandal', Indian brands tap heritage pride to boost sales
MUMBAI/MILAN: Indian footwear sellers and artisans are tapping into nationalist pride stoked by the Prada 'sandal scandal' in a bid to boost sales of ethnic slippers with history dating back to the 12th century, raising hopes of reviving a struggling craft. Sales are surging over the past week for the 'Kolhapuri' sandals that have garnered global attention after Prada sparked a controversy by showcasing similar designs in Milan, without initially crediting the footwear's origins. After viral photos from a fashion show drew criticism from Indian artisans who make the sandals - named after a historic city in Maharashtra state - Prada was forced to acknowledge that its new open-toe footwear was inspired by ancient Indian designs. "Prada 0: Kolhapur 1," said an Instagram post by e-commerce website Shopkop, whose founder Rahul Parasu Kamble's open letter to Prada pointing out the footwear is "soaked in tradition" was reshared 36,000 times on social media. "I saw the controversy as a way to promote Kolhapuri," said Kamble, 33, who has seen sales of sandals he sources from local artisans touch 50,000 rupees ($584) in three days, five times the average. Social media has been abuzz in recent days with criticism and sarcastic memes, with politicians, artisans and a trade body demanding due credit to Indian heritage. Prada has said it will arrange follow-up meetings with artisans. In a statement to Reuters on Tuesday, it added the Italian group intends to make the sandals in India in collaboration with local manufacturers, if it commercialises them. BREEZY ADS, BIG DISCOUNTS India's luxury market is small but growing, with the rich splurging on Lamborghini cars and pricey watches. Prada does not have a single retail store in India and its products are usually reserved for the super rich - its men's leather sandals start retailing at $844, while Kolhapuris can be priced as low as $12. But linking of the Prada name to the Kolhapuri sandals, which are made by around 7,000 artisans, is providing a business opportunity for some. Mumbai-based Ira Soles is running new Facebook and Instagram advertisements which proclaim its $32 "Tan Handcrafted Kolhapuris just walked the ramp at Prada ... Limited stock. Global spotlight. Own a piece of what the world is applauding.". E-commerce website Niira is offering up to 50% discounts on its Kolhapuri slippers it says are "rooted in tradition". Its sales of $18 sandals, that looked like the one Prada showcased in Milan, have tripled, founder Nishant Raut said. "Why can't an Indian Kolhapuri brand become as big as a Birkenstock," he said. Handmade in small factories, Kolhapuri sandals, or chappals as they are called in Hindi, are often paired with Indian attire. Similar designs are sold in big outlets of Bata India and Metro Brands, and also on Amazon and Walmart's Flipkart. In 2021, India's government said the sandals could achieve $1 billion a year in exports. Though latest estimates are not available, artisans say the business has struggled as consumers increasingly opt for more fashionable, upmarket footwear. Still, the Prada controversy is breathing new life into a craft that Lalit Gandhi, president of Maharashtra's main industry lobby group, says is "a dying art". Gandhi said he is in talks with Prada to develop a co-branded, limited-edition sandal. Kolhapur craftsmen Ashok Doiphode, 50, is pinning hopes on a Prada boost. He hand-stitches sandals for nine hours daily but can sell a pair for just 400 rupees ($5). "If big companies like Prada come, craftsman like me can get a good price." (Editing by Aditya Kalra and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Miami Herald
06-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
AI company's offputting ads declare ‘Stop Hiring Humans'
By Jake Meeus-Jones Commuters fear losing their jobs after an artificial intelligence company launched "gross" billboards around London, encouraging companies to "stop hiring humans." Artisan, an AI startup founded in 2023, recently acquired $25M in funding in its quest to build a company powered by AI-employees called Artisans. Their viral billboard campaigns have been seen across US cities and they have now popped up around the London Underground. The head-turning billboards have not gone down well with many who work in the industry, though some say they are "well-staged." Another of the billboards shows an AI employee front and centre with text that reads 'Artisans won't WFH in Ibiza next week', causing outrage. Jamie Vaughan, a managing director at marketing firm Signifly, said in a LinkedIn post that he believes these ads are "everything that's wrong with the current tech discourse around AI and work." He added in the post: "Here's a company literally advertising the elimination of human collaboration and creativity - the very things that make work meaningful and productive. "The idea that we should celebrate replacing 'artisans' (actual skilled humans) with AI "employees" is antithetical to everything I believe about business success. "Real innovation comes from humans working together, challenging each other, and building on each other's ideas. "It is also entirely possible for great work to be done from home or remotely. "We should be using AI to enhance human creativity and collaboration, not replace it entirely. "Hard pass on this dystopian vision of work." In response, many LinkedIn users disagreed with Jamie's post and claimed that their campaign had worked. One user said, "Yet, it triggered you. Well-staged ad by Artisan." A co-founder of a customer experience agency added: "This is the exact reaction they want!!! I'd argue the ad is doing exactly what it's intended to do…get the humanoids worked up on LinkedIn." A third said: "The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about - you're only helping them." A fourth reluctantly said, "Actually gross. But sadly, it did its job." But many felt the idea of 'any attention is still attention' has been pushed too far with this campaign. A senior product designer said: "I know some people agree with 'negative attention is still attention', but this is a personal and professional pet peeve of mine - is the hate worth it? "I would rather be talked about the good work we are doing rather than counting on rage bait…" Another added: "While provocative, rage baiting seems to have worked every time on a lot of posts here, but in all honesty, is it worth the risk?" The post AI company's offputting ads declare 'Stop Hiring Humans' appeared first on Talker. Copyright Talker News. All Rights Reserved.
Metro
06-06-2025
- Business
- Metro
The real reason behind 'Stop Hiring Humans' ads appearing on the Tube
Staring mindlessly at adverts on the London Underground as your train whizzes from station to station is a common occurrence for commuters in the capital. But a new advertising campaign which recently arrived on the Tube is getting much more attention – possibly for the wrong reasons. The posters, found in London Bridge as well as other parts of the network, are suggesting in large letters that businesses should 'hire artisans, not humans', adding that 'the era of AI employees is here'. Slogans on other posters include 'Artisans don't spend half the year on holiday' or 'Artisans don't 'WFH' from Ibiza'. They're the brainchild of Artisan, an AI company which started in Silicon Valley in 2023 and has since received $25million (£18million) in funding. The business aims to build a company powered by AI employees called Artisans – but their advertising campaign has proved controversial, with its CEO facing death threats and hate mail. 'Stop hiring humans' posters and billboards first started popping up in San Francisco last December, coinciding with Artisan appearing at TechCrunch Disrupt, an annual tech conference. It quickly went viral, with an X post about its deliberately misspelt 'stop hirring humans' billboard being seen more than 230,000 times. Artisan CEO Jaspar Carmichael-Jack, who's originally from Surrey, said he and the company had received thousands of death threats since the campaign launched. After hosting an unofficial 'ask me anything' Q&A session on Reddit, he received a swathe of comments, very few of which were positive in any way. These included one simply saying 'Oh hi, f*** you', another asking 'Why doesn't the company replace you with AI?', a third saying 'How does it feel to be the poster child of a dystopic future?', and another asking 'You realise you're the villain, right?'. But last month, Jaspar doubled down on the 'rage-bait' marketing campaign, despite the thousands of threats he'd received. He has however since backtracked slightly on his previous message, saying the campaign was meant to grab attention rather than undermining human workers. 'We didn't expect people to get so mad,' Jaspar said in a blog post. 'The goal of the campaign was always to rage bait, but we never expected the level of backlash we ended up seeing. 'Looking forward, we'll likely tone down the messaging to be more in line with what we actually believe rather than just clickbaiting..! More Trending We don't actually want people to stop hiring humans – we're actively hiring across all roles, and I don't actually think AI is dystopian. 'The real goal for us is to automate the work that humans don't enjoy, and to make every job more human. 'Nobody wants to spend 8 hours a day researching people and writing outbound emails, so we built Ava to do it for them.' Metro has reached out to Jaspar Carmichael-Jack for comment Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'Stupid' Apple Pay prank plagues commuters on London Tube MORE: King Charles serenaded by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding singers at SXSW London MORE: Fare dodger barges his way through barriers – and straight into arms of police
Eater
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
The Saddest Houston Restaurant Closings to Know This June
Houston is entering its summer season, and while there are many anticipated and new restaurants, there are just as many closing. Owners continue to cite a challenging economy as the reason behind their closures, while others are still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Beryl and last year's other weather disasters. Here are some of the most noteworthy and heartbreaking closings this month. The list is by no means comprehensive. Have information on another closing? Send all tips to houston@ Bistro Menil Chef Greg Martin, the owner behind Bistro Menil, announced on social media that he is closing the French restaurant in Montrose after service on Sunday, June 22. Martin opened the restaurant roughly 10 years ago, naming it after the Menil Collection, one of Houston's most lauded museums. Many diners, especially those who are gluten-sensitive or have celiac disease, have lamented the closure. 'The Celiac and gluten free [sic] community need you,' said one diner on Facebook. 'The 2 celiacs in our family shall miss this safe space to dine, have dessert and never ever experienced [sic] cross contamination,' wrote another. Martin did not immediately respond to Eater's request for comment, but said in his post that it was 'time to conclude this chapter.' He thanked Houstonians in his post for their 'unwavering support' throughout the years. Houston's French restaurant scene has experienced a series of tough blows over the past year, with restaurants like PS-21 and Eau Tour closing. But there have been some wins, too. More modern French restaurants fused with Houston-friendly and global flavors (think Creole and 'Texan'), however, have emerged on the scene, including chef Aaron Bludorn's Perseid, which opened in Hotel Saint Augustine in January, and Chardon in the Thompson Hotel. Both have seemed well-received by Houston diners. Artisans Jacques Fox, the chef-owner of Artisans, shocked Houston diners when he announced on Thursday, May 29, that he was closing the French restaurant that same day after 14 years in business. The restaurant originally opened in Midtown in February 2012 and later relocated to the greater Uptown area on Westheimer Road in December 2023, serving what Fox described as 'innovative, eclectic French cuisine.' Fox thanked Artisans' loyal customers, suppliers, partners, and staff. 'This is a difficult farewell for me and my investors, but we will always treasure the memories and experiences created at Artisans,' he wrote. Fox did not explain the reason for the closure, but he's expressed to Eater in the past that the changing dynamics of the dining scene, particularly in Houston, had become challenging. He said he mourned the days when people truly spent time dining and enjoying a meal. Leisurely lunches, particularly after the pandemic, had become a thing of the past, which led to restaurants strategizing ways to draw them in with power lunches and prix fixe meals. Thai Village Rice Village recently lost an institution and one of its longstanding Thai restaurants on Saturday, May 31. The owners of Thai Village announced the closure in a release shared on Facebook, thanking customers for their support. The restaurant, with its bright neon sign, served up a menu of Thai classics, including crispy egg rolls, soft spring rolls, fried rice, curries, and stir-fries. Rudi Lechner's Restaurant Rudi Lechner's Restaurant in Westchase, one of Houston's only German restaurants, closed in May after nearly 50 years in business, according to a report. The initial owner, Rudi Lechner, opened the restaurant in 1976 but sold it a few years ago after retiring. Jay Luchun, owner of nearby events venue Chateau Crystale, purchased the restaurant from him and kept everything largely the same, including the staff. He told Westchase Today he felt a responsibility to Rudi's loyal workers. Sixes and Sevens Montrose bar Sixes and Sevens went out with a bang on Sunday, May 25, hosting a final party to say its goodbyes after five years in business. Owner Blake Harris, who also owns Rudyards and Gold Tooth Tony's, told the Houston Chronicle that the closure is due to high competition in the area. He's hinted at possibly opening something in its place. Sign up for our newsletter.
Asharq Al-Awsat
04-06-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Cultural Fund Showcases Saudi Handicrafts at Selfridges in London
The Cultural Development Fund unveiled a curated selection of Saudi handicrafts at Selfridges in London, offering international audiences a window into the Kingdom's rich artisanal heritage, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday. The exhibit, inspired by Saudi Arabia's diverse geography and urban character, aims to highlight the creative and economic value of national crafts. Part of the fund's broader efforts under the Year of Crafts 2025, the display will run throughout June in a dedicated section of the iconic department store. The space is designed to reflect Saudi cultural identity, incorporating lavender and clay motifs as symbols of the Kingdom's natural and architectural heritage. Visitors are introduced to the aesthetics of Saudi crafts, reimagined through a modern creative lens. The collection includes palm-weaving, leather goods, and handcrafted jewelry, all created by male and female artisans from across the Kingdom. Each piece reflects the cultural and regional diversity of Saudi craftsmanship, emphasizing both traditional techniques and contemporary design.
