By now, we should be used to it. The fashion world has a long-standing habit of dipping into Indian wardrobes, plucking out a piece of culture, and serving it up with a Euro-luxe tag—no footnote, no nod, no thanks. This time, it’s Prada. Yes, that Prada. Their Spring/Summer 2026 Men’s collection just hit the runway featuring footwear that looked suspiciously familiar to anyone who’s ever wandered through the lanes of Kolhapur—or just had a grandfather with good taste.
As models paraded down the catwalk in what can only be described as high-end Kolhapuri chappals, fashion lovers and cultural watchdogs alike were quick to call it out. The Internet, rarely silent in moments like this, erupted with a mix of sarcasm, eye-rolls, and exasperated memes.
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Celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania didn’t mince words. She reposted the runway clip with a clear message: Prada didn’t reinvent anything—they just borrowed, repackaged, and rebranded a classic that’s been part of Indian streets and homes for generations.
Diet Sabya, Instagram’s resident fashion truth-teller, joined the chorus with a sharp jab: “Not to sound like your concerned desi aunt, but are we ready to pay £1,000 for Kolhapuri chappals because a European house decided they’re chic now?” Their post threw light on a deeper shift in fashion manufacturing—how Indian craftsmanship is now repurposed under foreign labels with heftier price tags. “It’s all made in India. The threadwork, the detailing, the drama—always has been,” they added.
Public reaction? A glorious mess of pride, amusement, and justified outrage. While some users laughed it off—“My dadaji used to rock the same pair,” one wrote; another chimed in, “The chappal just got a visa”—others were more pointed. Comments like “How conveniently they erase the roots and call it innovation” and “Sarojini just went luxury” peppered the feed.
One user summed it up best: “Joggers from Lajpat now on Milan runways. Retail price: 200 bucks in Delhi, 2,000 euros in Europe. Iconic, but make it appropriation.”
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So, the question remains—how long before cultural borrowing becomes cultural respecting? Until then, let’s keep calling it what it is: stylish plagiarism with a shiny label.
