PR Breakdown of the Prada Kolhapuri Sandals Case

Prada to launch $930 ‘Made in India’ Kolhapuri sandals after backlash

What is the key focus of this BBC title from last week’s news?

• the price of the sandals: $930

• backlash

What aftertaste does it give?

• framing the story around value extraction

• a reaction to criticism, not an organic celebration of craftsmanship

Luxury groups and brands often use the tactic of remaining silent when facing backlash during a crisis. I am against such approach and not entirely sure about the logic behind this — by pretending that nothing is happening and waiting for public attention to switch to another fresh scandal, they do not solve the problem but rather aggravate it. As I often like to repeat in PR breakdowns of different cases — reminders tend to resurface at the most inconvenient moment.

Shortly after the presentation of its Men’s 2026 collection in summer, Prada acknowledged that the sandals were inspired by handmade Kolhapuri slippers with designs dating back to the 12th century. The criticism arose after the brand initially presented the sandals as “leather footwear” without mentioning their Indian origins, which led to accusations of cultural appropriation. This acknowledgement slightly softened the criticism.

But acknowledgement of the issue is not enough. The brand went further. Last week, an agreement was signed under which the Italian brand will make 2,000 pairs of sandals in India’s Maharashtra and Karnataka states, under a deal with two state-backed entities.

However, instead of highlighting the key elements of the signed agreement — namely:

1. the sandals will be made in India

2. some artisans will receive special training from Prada and LIDCOM (a state-backed entity supporting the leather industry in Maharashtra)

3. around 200 Kolhapuri chappal artisans will be given three years of training in Italy

   
   

— the press chose what generates more traction: the price.

Therefore, the key communication mistake was mentioning trigger details that obviously pull attention away from what truly matters in the story — details that could have softened reputational damage.

Key strategic gaps in Prada communication of the matter:

1) Gap in continuity and connected actions

When responding to criticism in the summer, the brand acknowledged that it was inspired by Indian craftsmanship. At that moment, however, there was no articulated continuation of this message — no explanation of how the brand planned to give back to that inspiration. The story stopped at acknowledgement, creating a break in the communication chain. In the absence of follow-up actions, the narrative defaulted to one of value extraction — borrowing ideas from those in a weaker position without a visible system of reciprocity. Acknowledgement needs to be followed by concrete steps that demonstrate how such inclusion within the brand benefits the communities that inspired it.

2) Gap in prioritisation and emphasis

The subsequent actions taken by the brand were, in fact, positive. However, the communication failed to highlight what truly mattered. Instead of centering the story on community impact, knowledge transfer, and collaboration, attention was pulled toward price — a highly triggering but strategically secondary detail. This shift diluted the core message and allowed the most controversial element to dominate the narrative. Price should not have been part of the headline framing at all.

3) Gap in ownership of the narrative

As long as luxury groups and brands continue to ignore their own primary communication channels — particularly official news sections — storytelling remains reactive rather than proactive. In this case, both the brand and the Prada group missed the opportunity to frame the narrative independently and coherently. As a result, the story was structured by the press, not by the brand itself. This relinquishing of narrative control is one of the most consistent weaknesses in luxury crisis communication today.

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The note on the official website may have looked like this:

Prada Partners with Maharashtra and Karnataka Artisans on Footwear Project

Prada introduces a footwear project developed in collaboration with artisans from India’s Maharashtra and Karnataka regions, inspired by the centuries-old tradition of Kolhapuri craftsmanship.

As part of a partnership with state-backed entities in Maharashtra and Karnataka, including LIDCOM (Leather Industries Development Corporation of Maharashtra), the initiative brings together local manufacturing expertise and Prada’s own production standards. Around 2,000 pairs will be crafted in India, while selected artisans will receive specialised training supported by Prada and LIDCOM. In addition, approximately 200 Kolhapuri artisans will take part in a three-year training programme in Italy, focused on skills exchange and craftsmanship development.

The collection will be available from February 2026 through Prada’s official online platform and a selected number of Prada boutiques worldwide.

This collaboration reflects Prada’s ongoing commitment to preserving heritage techniques, supporting artisan communities, and fostering meaningful cultural dialogue through design.