HC dismisses PIL against Prada for unauthorised use of Kolhapuri chappal

A Bombay High Court bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne questioned the legal standing and statutory right of the five advocates who filed the PIL

The Bombay High Court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) against fashion brand Prada on Wednesday for its alleged unauthorised use of Kolhapuri chappals.

 

A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne questioned the legal standing and statutory right of the five advocates who filed the PIL, arguing that they were neither affected by the issue directly nor the registered proprietors or owners of the footwear, PTI reported.

 

The court noted, “You are not the owner of this Kolhapuri chappal. What is your locus, and what is the public interest? Any person aggrieved can file a suit. What is the public interest in this?”

 

The plea filed by five advocates states that the famous Kolhapuri chappal is protected as a Geographical Indication (GI) under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act. The Bombay High Court then informed the advocates that the registered proprietor of the GI Tag can come to court and seek an action. 

Dismissing the plea, the Bombay High Court said that it would pass a detailed order later. 

 

Kolhapuri chappal row 

Prada, an Italian fashion house, showcased their toe-ring sandals as part of their summer/spring collection. The toe-ring sandals are similar to the famous Kolhapuri chappals and have been priced at ₹1.2 lakh per pair.

 

Another PIL was filed earlier in July by Intellectual Property Rights advocate Ganesh S Hingmire, alleging that the footwear showcased in Milan Fashion week constituted cultural misappropriation and unauthorised use of a GI-tagged product. The PIL mentioned, “The Kolhapuri chappal is the cultural symbol of Maharashtra and has special public sentiments attached with it. The brand has privately accepted that its collection is ‘inspired by Indian artisans’, however, this acknowledgement surfaced only after facing widespread backlash... The brand has not yet issued any formal apology along with any damages, compensation, and entitled remedy, and the statement appears to be merely a superficial attempt to deflect criticism.”

 

Soon after facing backlash online, Prada issued a statement, acknowledging that the collection of their toe-ring leather sandals was inspired by Indian artisans. 

 

Prada team reaches Kolhapur 

After facing severe backlash online, a Prada team reached Kolhapur in Maharashtra to engage with the local artisans, Mint reported. The visiting team included Andrea Boscaro, director of collection development for Prada and Miu Miu footwear; Paolo Tiveron, head of the men’s technical and production department; and Daniele Contu, pattern-making manager. All three are from Prada’s footwear division. External consultants Andrea Pollastrelli and Roberto Pollastrelli are also part of the delegation.

 

Lalit Gandhi, president of the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MACCIA), said that the team is visiting for two days. He said, “The technical team will evaluate the process of making Kolhapuri chappals, share their experience, and outline expectations as per Prada’s requirements. They will also visit artisan clusters involved in traditional footwear making.”

 

The visit by Prada executives came after a virtual meeting was held between MACCIA and Prada to discuss concerns raised over the collection shown in Milan. The Italian fashion brand Prada, in its meeting with MACCIA, expressed its interest in launching a limited-edition, made-in-India Kolhapuri-inspired line in collaboration with local craftsmen.