Prada representatives Pamolo Teveran, Danial Kantu, and Robert P inspect the Kolhapuri footwear at LIDKAR Colony in Athani town in Belagavi district on Wednesday. Lidkar Managing Director K M Vasundhara is seen.
Credit: DH Photo
Athani: Italian luxury brand Prada, which had previously copied Kolhapuri chappal designs and sold them under its label, has acknowledged the infringement and agreed to support authentic artisans from Athani taluk.
Kolhapuri chappals hold a joint Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Karnataka and Maharashtra. Prada’s unauthorised replication prompted legal action by the State government’s subsidiary, Dr Babu Jagjivanram Leather Industries Development Corporation (LIDKAR). “The movement undertaken by us has succeeded,” said LIDKAR Managing Director K M Vasundhara.
Following several rounds of discussions, Prada officials, including chief designers Pamolo Teveran, Danial Kantu, and Robert P, visited Athani on October 29. They inspected locally-made footwear and interacted directly with artisans at LIDKAR Colony. LIDKAR officials, Prada India representative Gautam Mehre, and artisans’ representatives Shivraj Soudagar and Manmath also participated in the talks.
As part of the collaboration, Prada has organised a workshop in Agra this November to train selected artisans in advanced techniques while promoting Kolhapuri craftsmanship internationally. Artisans from Athani, including Santosh Vilas Honkand, Mallesh Krishna Sannakki, Machendra Gangaram Kamble, Suresh Namdev Shinde, Dashrath Torappa Yalamalle, and Rakesh Srikant Ranjgale, have been chosen for the training programme.
Vasundhara said, “We have successfully demonstrated the existence and authenticity of Kolhapuri footwear craftsmanship and have secured recognition for this traditional art on a global stage.”