When Prada prices our heritage

IT REVEALS GLOBAL APPETITE FOR INDIAN DESIGNS—AND INDIA'S FAILURE TO MONETISE THEM

- AJAY SRIVASTAVA

WHEN LUXURY ITALIAN fashion house Prada showcased sandals resembling Kolhapuri chappals in its Spring/Summer 2026 men’s collection—selling them as luxury items without acknowledging their Indian origin or the artisans behind them—it triggered a swift backlash in India, including legal notices, social media outrage, and a public interest case.

Although Prada denied violating Geographical Indication (GI) rules, it later explored working with Indian artisans.

The controversy sparked a debate over foreign brands using India’s heritage and GI products, but it reveals a bigger issue: While Indian designs inspire global luxury markets, India rarely captures the premium value they generate.

Gls are meant to prevent precisely this. A GI certifies that a product originates in a specific place and derives its distinctive qualities, reputation, or characteristics from that geography. Climate, soil, traditional knowledge, and local craftsmanship all play a role.

Gls cover agricultural products, food items, natural goods, and manufactured products. In theory, they protect authenticity and ensure that value accrues to local producers. In practice, India’s GI system remains under-leveraged.

India today has around 650 registered GI products, a sharp increase since Darjeeling tea became the country’s first GI-tagged product in 2004-05. Yet the global comparison is sobering. The European Union has more than 3,400 GI registrations, spanning food, wine, and spirits, while China leads the world with over 7,200 GI products.