Bombay High Court rejects PIL alleging luxury brand Prada copied Kolhapuri chappals

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed the public interest litigation (PIL) petition which sought action against global fashion house Prada for its alleged unauthorised use of a design deceptively similar to Maharashtra's Kolhapuri Chappal.

A Bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne dismissed the PIL after hearing both petitioner's lawyers and Prada.

"The Petition is dismissed, reasons to follow," the Court said.

According to the petition, 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 showcased by Prada was reportedly priced at over ₹1 lakh a pair.

The sandals bore a striking physical resemblance to the traditional Kolhapuri Chappal, it was alleged.

Filed by five advocates, the PIL argued 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,” the plea stated.

The petitioners sought directions to restrain Prada from commercialising and using the chappal, which is originally a Geographical Indication (GI) Tagged product. They also sought a public apology from Prada.

As per the plea, the designers never mentioned the Indian origins of the footwear and failed to acknowledge 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 Geographical Indication, the petitioners 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. The petition described it as a "handcrafted footwear, produced using traditional methods passed down over generations in the region of Maharashtra.”

The petitioners cited Section 22 of the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 to claim that Prada’s actions “undermine the moral and economic rights of the artisans, erodes the cultural identity embedded in the craft and contravenes the objectives of Section 22.”

According to the PIL, the making of a pair of Kolhapuri chappals involves specialised human skills and a time-intensive process, typically requiring around four to five weeks to complete each pair. The footwear reflects countless hours of meticulous labor by artisans who have preserved this traditional art form for nearly 800 years in India, the plea stated.

The plea also asserted that Prada’s actions infringed Article 29(1) of the Constitution of India, which guarantees the right of any section of citizens having a distinct culture to conserve it.

Besides restraining Prada from using the design, the petitioners also sought compensation for the artisans for reputational and economic damages incurred.