Prada & Kolhapuri Chappals: Made in India Collaboration

New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI) Prada, an Italian global luxury fashion house, has signed a memorandum of understanding with two government organisations -- LIDCOM and LIDKAR -- to source sandals, inspired by Kolhapuri Chappals.

The MoU was signed on Wednesday between Prada, LIDCOM (Sant Rohidas Leather Industries and Charmakar Development Corporation Ltd) and LIDKAR (Dr Babu Jagjivan Ram Leather Industries Development Corporation Ltd) at the Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai, according to a joint statement.

"The agreement sets out the framework, implementation and guidance of the 'PRADA Made in India x Inspired by Kolhapuri Chappals' project, which will celebrate Indian craftsmanship through a limited-edition collection of sandals," it said.

Both LIDCOM and LIDKAR are dedicated to preserving and promoting the Indian leather industry and the heritage of Kolhapuri Chappals.

These will be manufactured in India in collaboration with skilled artisans from the Maharashtra and Karnataka regions, where the traditional Kolhapuri Chappals are handcrafted.

"Combining traditional techniques with Prada's contemporary design and premium materials, the collection creates a unique dialogue between Indian heritage and modern luxury expression," it said.

Traditional Kolhapuri Chappals, which have a unique Geographical Indication (GI) tag since 2019 - are manufactured across eight districts - four in Maharashtra (Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Solapur) and four in Karnataka (Belagavi, Bagalkot, Dharwad, Bijapur).

Earlier in June this year, the global fashion house faced criticism for leather sandals in its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, which closely resembled the traditional Indian Kolhapuri Chappal. It had sparked accusations of cultural appropriation and a violation of the Kolhapuri's GI tag, and the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture had communicated this to Prada.

Though Prada had denied infringement, citing inspiration and avoiding the name, however, it had agreed to partner with Indian artisans for future collections.

Through this initiative, Prada Group, in collaboration with LIDCOM and LIDKAR, will have locally training programmes aimed at helping artisans upscale their skills while preserving the traditional craftsmanship that inspired the project, following the model of the Prada Group Academy.

"The aim is to foster the exchange of skills and knowledge, ensuring that these techniques continue to thrive, while creating learning opportunities for young people within local communities," it said.