Overview

• A delegation of Kolhapuri cobbler associations met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on June 26 to protest Prada’s sandals, which closely mirror GI-tagged Kolhapuri chappals without attribution.
• BJP MP Dhananjay Mahadik and NCP MLA Rohit Pawar announced plans to file a public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court challenging alleged GI infringement.
• Artisan groups and political leaders demand that Prada formally label the footwear as Kolhapuri chappals and remit royalties to the original makers.
• Traditional Kolhapuri chappals retail for ₹300–₹4,000 in India, while Prada’s uncredited versions carry a price tag above ₹1.2 lakh, highlighting a severe markup.
• Prada has not issued any public response or engaged with Maharashtra’s artisan community, drawing criticism from figures such as Sambhaji Chhatrapati, who branded the move ‘new-age colonialism.’