Global luxury house Prada, on Monday
launched its Limited Edition Collection of Sandals inspired by the Indian
Kolhapuri Chappals, across 40 select Prada stores worldwide and on its
e-commerce platform as a part of it’s ‘PRADA Made in India x Inspired by Kolhapuri
Chappals’ project. Manufactured in India by artisans from Maharashtra and
Karnataka — the heartland of traditional Kolhapuri handcraft — the launch marks
more than a commercial milestone.

“It is a moment of global
recognition for a centuries-old Indian craft, and for the institution that has
worked for decades to protect, promote and dignify it” said Smt. Prerna
Deshbhratar, IAS, Managing Director, of ‘Sant Rohidas Leather Industries and
Charmakar Development Corporation’ — better known as LIDCOM — which was
established on 1 May 1974 under the Social Justice Department of Maharashtra,
with mandate to protect the dignity and livelihood of Maharashtra’s leather
artisan communities.

One of LIDCOM’s best product, the
Kolhapuri chappal is a living tradition — carried, refined and passed down by
generations of artisans. Notably, it has received GI tagging in 2009 — a
distinction that underscores the scale of LIDCOM’s achievement.

Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Shri.
Devendra Fadnavis described the launch as a moment of national pride, – “This
global launch Inspired by the Indian Kolhapuri Chappals”is a proud moment for
Maharashtra and for India. Born in the hands of Maharashtra’s leather artisan
community and protected by LIDCOM, the Kolhapuri chappal is now a global luxury
fashion product showcased in 40 Prada stores worldwide. This is Maharashtra
showing the world what ‘Made in India’ truly means.”

The collaboration extends well
beyond the limited-edition collection. As part of the agreement, Prada will
fully fund a three-year structured training programme at the National Institute
of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and the Karnataka Institute of Leather and Fashion
Technology (KILT) — building the design and technical skills of artisans whose
craft has already proven itself on the world stage. The finest among them will
go further: selected for advanced training at Prada’s own Academy in Italy.

As rightly said by Shri. Sanjay
Shirsat, Minister of Social Justice and Special Assistance, Maharashtra –
“Today, the hard work of our artisans and their traditional craft has received
real respect. Kolhapuri chappals are not just footwear — they are the pride of
our land. Social justice means giving people strength to stand on their own and
honouring their labour”. In his message to the artisans, he added: “This honour
— this pride — comes from your hard work, your sweat, and your tradition. We
are truly happy that this craft has now reached the world stage. The respect
for our people has gone across the world.”

Those familiar with the
collaboration say the credit for the partnership belongs firmly to LIDCOM — the
institutional backbone that identified the opportunity, brokered the
conversation, and structured every clause to keep artisan welfare at its core.
“There was meticulous planning behind this collaboration. Things were not easy,
given the involvement of a global brand like Prada, international laws, and the
wider canvas of our global relations. All of this had to be factored into the
negotiations — while always keeping in mind the rightful ownership of the
intellectual property of generations of our artisans.”— says Dr. Harshadeep
Kamble, IAS, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Special
Assistance

The partnership between Prada and
LIDCOM crystallised in the months following an online backlash over the
Kolhapuri-inspired leather sandals shown at Prada’s Spring 2026 menswear
presentation. The collection featured sandals bearing an unmistakable
resemblance to the GI-tagged Kolhapuri chappal. Prada issued a statement. Then
it did something more meaningful: it sent a delegation to Kolhapur, to LIDCOM’s
facility, to the hands that had been making this craft long before any runway
discovered it.

After several rounds of detailed
discussions led by Smt. Deshbhratar, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed
between Prada and LIDCOM at the Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai. She
subsequently travelled to Italy for further negotiations, paving the way for
the collaboration in its current form. As she

puts it “This collaboration will
enable the sustainable global positioning of our traditional craftsmanship,
fostering cross-cultural design dialogue and long-term value for artisans.”The
operative phrase is long-term value for artisans — a commitment LIDCOM received
from Prada as a non-negotiable condition of the partnership.

For India’s craft sector, the LIDCOM
model offers a powerful lesson: protect the craft, build institutional
credibility, negotiate from strength, and keep artisan welfare non-negotiable.
This is what makes the partnership meaningful.