Italian luxury fashion house Prada has entered into a landmark collaboration with Indian artisan bodies to launch a limited-edition sandal collection inspired by the iconic Kolhapuri Chappal, formally acknowledging the centuries-old craft and its makers. Reported by Pathikrit Sen Gupta from News18.com
The partnership was sealed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Thursday at the Italian Consulate in Mumbai.
Under the agreement, Prada has partnered with two state-backed agencies — the Sant Rohidas Leather Industries and Charmakar Development Corporation (LIDCOM) of Maharashtra and the Dr Babu Jagjivanram Leather Industries Development Corporation (LIDKAR) of Karnataka.
These organisations represent traditional artisan communities across eight districts in the two states where the Kolhapuri Chappal is handcrafted. Notably, the Kolhapuri Chappal received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2019, recognising its cultural and artisanal significance.
Titled “PRADA Made in India x Inspired by Kolhapuri Chappals”, the initiative will see the production of around 2,000 pairs of sandals. A senior Prada executive confirmed that each pair will be priced at approximately €800 (around Rs 84,000) — a sharp contrast to the affordable pricing of traditional Kolhapuris in India.
The collection is slated for a global launch in February 2026, to be sold across 40 select Prada stores worldwide as well as the brand’s official e-commerce platform.
The collaboration comes after Prada faced criticism earlier this year for showcasing a sandal design at its Milan fashion show that closely resembled Kolhapuri Chappals without crediting their Indian origins.
The move had sparked widespread allegations of cultural appropriation. This formal partnership is now being positioned as a corrective step, ensuring due recognition and direct economic participation for the artisan communities behind the craft.
Beyond the commercial launch, the three-year agreement includes a long-term focus on skill development and craft preservation. Prada, through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm, will design and implement local training programmes aimed at upgrading artisan skills while maintaining the authenticity of the GI-tagged craftsmanship.
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal welcomed the partnership, calling it a “truly global collab”, and expressed hope that such international recognition could help scale Kolhapuri chappal exports to US$1 billion annually, placing Indian craftsmanship firmly on the global luxury map.
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