Mumbai: The Bombay High Court, on Wednesday, dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) praying for action against global fashion brand Prada for its alleged unauthorised use of a design deceptively similar to Maharashtra’s Kolhapuri Chappal.
The bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne dismissed the PIL after hearing both sides.
“The Petition is dismissed, reasons to follow,” the Court said.
According to the PIL moved by two advocates, Prada, at its fashion show held in Milan on June 22, had presented ‘toe ring sandals’ as part of its Spring/Summer 2026 Men’s Collection. The footwear, reportedly priced at over Rs 1 lakh a pair, allegedly bore a striking physical resemblance to the traditional Kolhapuri Chappal.
It was alleged that the act amounted to cultural misappropriation and a violation of the rights of artisan communities historically associated with the Kolhapuri Chappal.
“This action of Prada infringes the fundamental Right to Life (Article 21), which includes the right to livelihood and cultural identity of the Kolhapuri Chappal artisan communities,” it was submitted.
Directions were sought to restrain the brand from commercialising and using the chappal, which is originally a Geographical Indication (GI) Tagged product. The petitioners also sought a public apology from Prada.
It was further pointed out that the designers never mentioned that the design of their footwear was of Indian origin and failed to acknowledge the Indian artisans who have been making them for generations. The use of the brand name on such footwear directly undermines the livelihood and dignity of the traditional artisans and authorised users of the GI Tag, it was contended.
The Kolhapuri Chappal, registered under Application No 169 in Class 25 (Footwear), was officially granted Geographical Indication status on May 4, 2009. It was renewed in 2019 and is valid until 2029.
It was submitted that the making of a pair of Kolhapuri Chappals is a time-intensive process, involving specialised human skill. A pair takes nearly 4-5 weeks to be completed and is a reflection of the countless hours of meticulous labour by artisans who have preserved this traditional art form for nearly 800 years in India, the PIL stated.
