Actor Kareena Kapoor recently took a stylish yet pointed dig at luxury fashion house Prada for allegedly copying the design of the traditional Kolhapuri chappal. Sharing a photo of herself wearing the original handmade footwear, Kareena captioned it cheekily: “Sorry not Prada but my OG Kolhapuri,” making a clear statement about authenticity and cultural pride.
This post follows backlash against Prada for marketing footwear that bears a striking resemblance to the Kolhapuri chappal — a culturally significant handcrafted sandal from Kolhapur, Maharashtra — under the generic label of "leather sandals," without any reference to its Indian origin.
In response to the alleged appropriation, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court by a group of intellectual property rights lawyers from Mumbai and Pune. The PIL, led by Advocate Ganesh S Hingmire, demands:
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A public apology from Prada Group and its Indian entity.
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Recognition of the Kolhapuri chappal’s Geographical Indication (GI) status.
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Assurance of no future misuse of GI-tagged Indian crafts.
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Compensation for Indian artisans for both reputational and economic harm caused by the unauthorised commercialisation.
The petition claims that Prada’s actions have caused damage to the artisan communities traditionally associated with the chappals, especially in Maharashtra, and urges the court to protect and uphold India’s rich cultural and artistic heritage.
Kareena’s public support, paired with the legal pushback, has sparked a larger conversation around cultural appropriation, ethical fashion, and respecting indigenous craftsmanship on global platforms.
