CRAFT IN THE CROSSHAIRS

Prada's sandal stir and Dior's glittering coat have reignited the debate over cultural credit. But instead of outrage alone, could these flash-points finally open the door to fairer fashion?

- Words: ANANDHI GOPINATH

It began, as these things often do, with a shoe. At Prada’s Spring/Summer 2026 menswear show in Milan, a pair of sandals made editors pause mid-scroll. With broad straps, toe loops, and a rustic elegance that felt lived-in, they immediately drew comparisons to kolhapuris—the handmade leather sandals native to parts of western and southern India.

The reaction online was swift, admiration was tempered with irritation. Commenters pointed to yet another example of a Western fashion brand drawing on a non-Western aesthetic—one steeped in regional craftsmanship and cultural history—without acknowledging its origins. And while some praised the design's minimal beauty, others voiced long-simmering frustrations about appropriation and erasure.

It's a conversation we've had before. And no doubt, we'll have it again. But perhaps, instead of reacting in absolutes, there’s room to consider the greys, and to explore what it might mean to honour a craft without flattening it.

Let's start with the kolhapuri itself. This isn’t some boho-chic silhouette plucked from a mood board, but a centuries-old form, shaped by time and terrain, and made by artisans in and around Kolhapur in Maharashtra, as well as districts in Karnataka. The process is as slow as it is skilled—vegetable-tanned leather, sun-dried, hand-cut, stitched without nails or glue, and often embellished with intricate braids or punchwork unique to the maker's region.