Prada has declared plans to collaborate with Indian artisans who specialize in footwear, just two weeks after the luxury brand found itself at the center of a controversy over sandals accused of closely resembling traditional Indian designs.
On Friday, Prada engaged in discussions with Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, an organization representing 3,000 Kolhapuri sandal craftsmen, according to a Prada statement to Reuters. These negotiations aimed to explore pathways for future cooperative projects between the two parties.
“Prada’s supply chain unit will next be engaging in consultations with a variety of artisanal footwear producers,” the statement read.
The Chamber shared images from the online meeting on social media, hailing the initiative as a potential prototype for respectful collaboration between international fashion and traditional artisans.
Joining the deliberations was Lorenzo Bertelli, a Prada family member and head of the brand’s corporate social responsibility.
The controversy initially erupted after Prada presented open-toe footwear at Milan Men’s Fashion Week that bore a close resemblance to India’s traditional Kolhapuri sandals, which were merely labeled as “leather sandals” without acknowledging their cultural significance.
Indian fashion critics, designers, and lawmakers reacted angrily to the brand, pointing out that the sandals were very similar to handcrafted leather shoes, known as Kolhapuri chappals, worn commonly by millions in India.
The sandals, hailing from Kolhapur in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, are considered a treasure of India’s cultural legacy.
In the wake of the public uproar, Prada recognized the Indian origin of the design.
The Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce is now taking steps to patent the Kolhapur chappals to protect against any future copyright infringement on a global scale.
Edited by: Louis Oelofse
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/prada-to-partner-with-indian-artisans-after-sandal-backlash/a-73249210?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
