Prada collabs with Indian leather industry after Kolhapuri controversy

Prada’s renewed Kolhapuri-inspired collection has reopened India’s long‑running debate on cultural appropriation and the weak protection of traditional crafts.

The controversy after Prada’s Milan show last year sparked justified backlash for copying rather than inspiration.

On April 27^th, 2026, Prada announced a collaboration with Indian government leather industry bodies, LIDCOM, LIDKAR, NIFT, and KILT and launched a three‑year artisan training program.

However, the $900 price tag for the inspired Kolhapuri footwear, compared with the traditional $10–$30 range, has intensified criticism that the move feels like damage control rather than respect.

It has also highlighted an urgent need for upgrading India’s Geographical Indication (GI) protection system. Although Kolhapuris received GI status in 2019, India’s fragmented GI system lacks the global clout of bodies like Comité Champagne, leaving artisans under‑protected and under‑compensated.

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