Why are Indians so angry about Prada’s ₹1.2 lakh Kolhapuris?

Now that the Prada-Kolhapur chappal difficulty has been debated over every week, what’s the actual difficulty enraging Indians? India is residence to roughly 3,000 indigenous crafts, and whereas that is one thing to be pleased with, the laborious reality is a majority of us overlook their worth. A number of of our craft and textile traditions are fading, and artisans languishing because of the lack of Authorities help, public visibility, and consumers. This contains Kolhapuri artisans who’re removed from the limelight and even the information of the Prada debacle.

An artisan at work
| Picture Credit score:
Roy Chowdhury A

So, as many say, a global label has put a craft just like the Kolhapuri chappal within the highlight, one thing we Indians haven’t been capable of do. Because the controversy emerged and our following report, Harshwardhan Patwardhan of Chappers says he has witnessed a 30-40% rise in gross sales, and a 400% improve in guests on his social media accounts. Now, one could argue that what Prada did isn’t such a nasty factor in spite of everything.

Learn extra:Meet the real artisans behind India’s iconic Kolhapuri chappals — now in the global spotlight

Crafting a Kolhapuri chappal is a labour-intensive course of
| Picture Credit score:
Roy Chowdhury A

A legitimate argument. Having stated that, firstly, if we take a look at the Kolhapuri chappal particularly, it’s a GI-tagged product. Secondly, in an age the place the dialog on copyrights is lastly being taken critically, if a luxurious vogue label has drawn from an Indian artwork/craft kind, this “inspiration” must be credited. As many say, inspiration is a quite loosely used time period, however after the social media uproar Prada has admitted to the sandals being India-inspired and the model ‘vows to have interaction with native artisans ethically’.

Learn extra:Global fashion giant Prada acknowledges Kolhapuri inspiration

At artisan Arun Satpute’s workshop at Kolhapur
| Picture Credit score:
Roy Chowdhury A

In a touch upon The Hindu’s Instagram publish on the controversy, Purushu Arie, who runs an ungendered vogue label of the identical title, stated the outrage over Prada’s Kolhapuris isn’t about cultural appropriation however about who will get to applicable. Calling it ‘Prada’s Kolhapurigate’ he wrote: ‘Kolhapuris aren’t merely Indian, they’re rooted in Dalit craft traditions. When Prada does it: outrage, discourse, decolonial hashtags. When higher caste Indians do the identical, there may be silence, gatekeeping…’ Including, ‘…the query isn’t “what’s being borrowed, however “who will get to borrow with out credit score, compensation, or illustration, and who doesn’t’.  

A file photograph of an artisan making Kolhapuri chappals at his store in Kolhapur, Maharashtra
| Picture Credit score:
PTI

One other perspective shared on the identical thread acknowledged {that a} majority of the folks protesting in opposition to Prada are those that ‘won’t ever purchase Kolhapuris themselves, by no means put on handloom, or help a neighborhood artisan. You’re not upset about cultural appropriation; you’re upset that another person took it, marketed it, and made it precious. Go purchase from Shein and pollute the world’. 

A snapshot from a craft truthful
| Picture Credit score:
ANSHIKA VARMA

In an Instagram reel, Suhail Sahrawat, founding father of techwear label Garuda SS, acknowledged Prada’s lack of credit score but additionally addressed the general public outrage. As he talked about in a remark, ‘…the presumption is that the buyer and observer of vogue lives underneath the idea that manufacturers sit round discovering methods to use us. Most time, concepts are occurring in natural albeit referential manners, no designer is working with a malicious intent’. 

An artisan in Belgaum
| Picture Credit score:
VIJAYKUMAR PATIL

And for the numerous additionally complaining that Kolhapuris aren’t comfy or the proper footwear for on a regular basis use, there are lots of artisans and even manufacturers who’ve given the chappal a recent repair with padded soles, and so on. So the following time you attend a craft truthful or flea market and spot an artisan promoting Kolhapuris, think about attempting a pair and you’ll be pleasantly stunned. And don’t neglect to tell us how they really feel.