From Kolhapur to Catwalk: When Luxury Labels Erase Local Craft

When Prada’s Spring collection unveiled a pair of high-end sandals that bore a striking resemblance to India’s humble Kolhapuri chappals, retailing at over ₹1.20 lacs and called toe-ring sandals, it sparked more than just fashion buzz. For many, it was yet another example of how luxury fashion often repackages traditional craftsmanship without giving credit, compensation, or community reinvestment.

This controversy isn’t just about a shoe; it’s about a larger, ongoing disconnect between profit-driven luxury brands and the heritage artisans whose work they silently capitalise on.

The Appropriation Problem

Kolhapuri chappals are more than just footwear, they’re a cultural symbol crafted by hand by artisans from Maharashtra. These craftsmen, often part of marginalised communities, have been making these shoes for generations, earning modest incomes and working in vulnerable conditions.

Enter Prada: a global luxury brand that reimagines the Kolhapuri aesthetic, strips it of its geographical and cultural identity, and sells it to elite customers without any recognition of the communities that originated the design.

There’s no credit, no royalties, no reinvestment, just quiet erasure disguised as luxury.

And this is far from an isolated incident.

Designer	Cultural Source	Year(s)	Nature of Issue
Isabel Marant	Mixe (Oaxaca) blouse	2015	Direct copying; community backlash
Isabel Marant	Purépecha cape patterns	2020	Government rebuke, apology issued
Louis Vuitton	Romanian “ie” embroidery	2024	Collective action; govt demands rights
Christian Dior	Bihor coat from Romania	2017	Protests over uncredited appropriation

What Genuine Ethical Fashion Should Look Like

Ethical fashion isn’t just about sourcing organic cotton or paying minimum wages in factories. It's about respecting the origins of design, ensuring fair value flows back to the creators, and preserving endangered craft traditions.

If Prada or any luxury label wants to position itself as ethical or socially responsible, here’s what it should look like:

1. Forming Partnerships with Artisan Collectives

Imagine the impact if Prada had collaborated with Kolhapuri chappal makers, supported capacity-building efforts, and offered technical training or design innovation support. It would not only ensure quality but also elevate the artisans on a global stage.

Craftswoman skillfully handcrafting Kolhapuri chappals, showcasing traditional artisan techniques. (Image credit: Sourced from Youtube Channel - SOFT Pune)

2. Profit-Sharing Models

Sharing a percentage of the profits with the artisan community whose design they’re using could be a game-changer. It would acknowledge the intellectual property and create a new model of ethical consumption in luxury.

3. Supporting the Sustainability of Crafts

Luxury brands have the resources to fund craft preservation programmes such as documentation, intergenerational skill transfer, and upgrading local infrastructure. Using Kolhapuris? Then help protect the dying craft clusters producing them.

Reimagining CSR in Fashion

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is often reduced to one-off donations or seasonal campaigns. But in sectors like fashion, CSR must be baked into the supply chain and design process itself. Instead of asking what cause to support, luxury brands must ask: “Whose culture are we profiting from and how are we giving back?”

The true cost of luxury isn’t in the price tag, it’s in the unpaid labour, uncredited artistry, and unacknowledged heritage that often go into making a high-end product. As consumers become more conscious, it’s time for brands to move beyond performative ethics and towards deep, accountable partnerships with the communities they draw from.

Because ethical fashion isn’t a trend. It’s a responsibility.