Prada launches Indian-made sandals after cultural appropriation backlash

prada launched a limited-edition line of sandals inspired by india's traditional kolhapuri sandals, nearly a year after facing backlash for cultural appropriation. the italian brand was criticized last june for showing similar designs at a milan fashion show without crediting their indian origins. the new sandals are priced at €750 ($881) a pair and made by artisans in maharashtra and karnataka. each pair is handmade. prada is selling them across 40 stores worldwide and online. the company also announced a three-year training programme for 180 artisans from eight indian districts, developed with two indian design institutes. some participants may train further at the prada group academy in italy. kolhapuri sandals date back to the 12th century and were granted geographical indication status by the indian government in 2019. in india, they typically sell for between 500 and 1,000 rupees — far below prada's luxury versions.