Prada is now ‘considering’ a collaboration with silver anklet artisans from Hupari, near Kolhapur. As silver prices rise and anklets fall out of fashion, they’re hoping for a runway revival.
Kolhapuri chappals have long battled low demand and dwindling artisan numbers. A case of cultural appropriation is now offering the craft a possible chance at revival.
Prada has asked the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture to produce a documentary showcasing the variety and making of Kolhapuri chappals.
Global media also reports on Kolhapur artisans' outrage over Prada’s lookalike sandals & interviews DGCA chief , who says India’s skies are safe 'in the past & today'.
There must be a larger debate on intellectual property, cultural credit, and economic justice, especially in the context of Hindu religious symbols, philosophies, and principles.
Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada CSR head, recognised the inspiration in a letter to Lalit Gandhi, Maharashtra commerce chamber head, who had expressed outrage.
Prada Kolhapuris, styled with shorts, track pants, and polo-neck knits cost around £1,000—over Rs 1 lakh. In India, the chappals sell for a humble Rs 800.
The Italian luxury brand and the Houston-based startup said in a joint statement that the suits were made to withstand extreme temperatures at the lunar south pole.
For an industry globally classified as hazardous, protections such as health insurance and a provident fund for workers are necessities. In Sivakasi, they remain elusive.
The industry forecasts exports are set to grow 16% in 2025-26, boosted by surplus domestic production and a drive to push into 26 underserved global markets with strong potential.
Indigenisation level will progressively increase up to 60 percent with key sub-assemblies, electronics and mechanical parts being manufactured locally.
It is a brilliant, reasonably priced, and mostly homemade aircraft with a stellar safety record; only two crashes in 24 years since its first flight. But its crash is a moment of introspection.
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