“Kolhapuri Chappal Is The Cultural Symbol Of Maharashtra”
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A PIL filed within the Bombay Excessive Court docket accuses trend model Prada of copying the GI-tagged Kolhapuri chappal design, demanding compensation and apology, stating it’s a cultural image of Maharashtra with deep public sentiment hooked up.
A public curiosity litigation (PIL) has been submitted to the Bombay Excessive Court docket, calling for the Italian trend model Prada to compensate Kolhapuri chappal artisans.
This motion arises from allegations that Prada has copied the design of the Kolhapuri chappal in its newly launched summer time assortment.
The Kolhapuri chappal is acknowledged as a Geographical Indication (GI) underneath the Geographical Indications of Items (Registration and Safety) Act, 1999.
A bunch of six attorneys from Pune has filed a petition towards the Prada Group and sure Maharashtra authorities authorities, stating,
“The Kolhapuri chappal is the cultural image of Maharashtra.”
In line with the PIL, Prada’s Spring/Summer time assortment options ‘Toe ring sandals’ which are strikingly comparable in each fashion and cultural heritage to the GI-registered Kolhapuri chappal, which is priced at over Rs 1 lakh per pair underneath the European model.
The PIL was filed by Mental Property Rights advocate Ganesh S Hingemire on July 2, 2025.
The PIL learn,
“The matter considerations the misrepresentation, cultural misappropriation, unauthorized commercialization of ‘KOLHAPURI CHAPPAL’ throughout a world trend occasion held at a Spring/Summer time Males’s Assortment 2026 in Milan, Italy on twenty second June, 2025, the place its real origin, conventional custodianship and Geographical Indication (GI) standing had been totally ignored. This Public Curiosity Litigation seeks instructions and applicable reliefs, together with an injunction and damages/compensation for the unauthorized commercialization of a GI-tagged product, which has prompted vital hurt to the neighborhood historically related to it, notably in Maharashtra State,”
In response to vital criticism for allegedly plagiarizing the work of Indian artisans, Prada launched a press release acknowledging that its summer time assortment was “impressed by Indian artisans.”
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Nonetheless, the petitioners assert that Prada has not offered a “formal apology” or any damages, compensation, or entitled treatment to the artisans from Maharashtra.
The PIL learn,
“The Kolhapuri Chappal is the cultural image of Maharashtra and has particular public sentiments hooked up to it. The model has privately accepted that its assortment is ‘impressed by Indian artisans’; nonetheless, this acknowledgment surfaced solely after going through widespread backlash on varied social media platforms. This acknowledgment was given to the personal entity and to not the applicant, makers of Kolhapuri Chappal, GI Registry, Authorities, or the general public at massive. The model has not but issued any formal apology together with any damages, compensation, and entitled treatment, and the assertion seems to be merely a superficial try and deflect criticism,”
The petition additionally calls for presidency motion to guard Indian conventional designs and to forestall worldwide firms from infringing on GI merchandise.
The PIL said,
“The PIL goals to guard the rights of the affected communities and the general public of India from such impugned actions by the worldwide model/entities. The respective authorities division ought to be directed to adjust to the enforcement of the GI and set up robust insurance policies/mechanisms pertaining to the safety of GI rights,”
Moreover, the petitioners search a public apology from Prada.
The case is anticipated to be heard within the Bombay Excessive Court docket.
