In a recent turn of events, a four-member team from luxury Italian brand Prada visited India’s Kolhapur on Tuesday. During their visit, they interacted with local Kolhapuri chappal makers to understand their craft, as reported by HT. This could mark a big step towards a possible collaboration that might highlight Indian craftsmanship through a dedicated ‘Made in India’ collection. Read to know more.
Prada Team Visits Kolhapur
This was an initial visit by the luxury brand’s team to southwestern Maharashtra. This move comes weeks after Prada received massive backlash on the internet for replicating Kolhapuri-style footwear in their Spring/Summer 2026 menswear show in Milan. Many local craftsmen voiced anger over what they saw as cultural piracy, especially because the Kolhapuri chappal has been designated as a Geographical Indication (GI) since 2019.
Last week, a virtual meeting was also held where the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MACCIA) suggested a partnership similar to the brand’s previous collaborations with artisans from Japan, Peru, and Scotland. After the brand’s positive response, an on-ground engagement happened.
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The visit included Paolo Tiveron, Director of the Men’s Technical and Production Department (Footwear Division), Daniele Contu, Pattern Making Manager, and external consultants Andrea and Roberto Pollastrelli. MACCIA president Lalit Gandhi welcomed them along with others. Their visit began from Subhash Nagar, known for its community of home-based footwear artisans. They interacted with various artists like Balasaheb Gawali, Shubham Satpute, Sunil Rokade, and Shivaji Mane.
Among the products on display was the unique ‘car-to-carpet’ chappal, which is designed to be discreetly brought and worn immediately before attending an event.
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