PIL seeks public apology from Prada

The controversy over Italian luxury fashion house Prada showcasing footwear “inspired” by Kolhapuri Chappals at the recent Milan Fashion Week has taken a legal turn.

- Karuna Nidhi

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court, accusing Prada of cultural appropriation as the ‘Toe Ring Sandals/ Leather Flat Sandals’ it had showcased on June 22 were near-identical to the traditional, handcrafted footwear made by artisans in Kolhapur, in Maharashtra.

Among other things, the petition has sought a public apology from Prada, and compensation for the artisans engaged in the craft.

The petition, filed by Prof Adv Ganesh S Hingmire, alleges that the product’s “genuine origin, traditional custodianship and Geographical Indication (GI) status were entirely overlooked”. It sought protection and enforcement of the rights of the community associated with the product, along with compensation for the “unauthorised commercialisation”, which has caused “significant harm” to the community traditionally associated with it.