From Kolhapuri Chappals to Luxury: It’s Branding or Cultural exploitation ?
In a striking example of branding power eclipsing cultural roots, global fashion house Prada has launched a pair of high-end leather chappals eerily resembling the traditional Kolhapuri chappals—with a price tag of ₹1.75 lakh. The design is unmistakably Indian. The heritage is undeniable. And yet, Kolhapur doesn’t get a single mention.
This isn’t just fashion. It’s a powerful display of brand dominance—and a subtle act of cultural erasure.
Let’s be clear:
Prada didn’t invent the design.
They didn’t credit the artisans.
They didn’t acknowledge Kolhapur, the city that has kept this craft alive for centuries.
All they did was add a logo. And suddenly, the world is calling it “luxury.”
This is the real power of branding.
It doesn’t just decorate — it dictates perception.
It doesn’t just add value — it multiplies it, often at the cost of authenticity.
A chappal that could be bought for ₹1,000 in a local Kolhapur market is now a status symbol on global runways — simply because it was repackaged and renamed, not because it was reinvented.
What does this tell us?
If we don’t brand our own heritage, someone else will.
And worse, they’ll sell it back to us in a box we can’t afford.
In an age where storytelling sells more than skill, this incident serves as a wake-up call to Indian artisans, designers, policymakers, and citizens:
We need to build narratives, protect our GI tags, and empower local makers with tools of branding and global positioning.
Otherwise, our cultural treasures will keep walking down foreign runways — with foreign names and foreign profits.
Because if we don’t own our stories, someone else will.
