Prada will send a team of technical experts to Maharashtra next week to engage directly with local artisans and manufacturers, marking a potential first step towards a formal collaboration on Kolhapuri chappals and other heritage crafts.
The Italian luxury fashion house may also launch a limited-edition “Made in India” Kolhapuri chappal-inspired collection of sandals in partnership with local artisans, a senior official at the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (Maccia) said.
This was the outcome of a high-level virtual meeting between Prada and Maccia on Friday.
Prada began the conversation “by accepting their mistake and with seriousness”, the official said, referring to the fashion house unveiling sandals closely resembling Kolhapuri chappals-without initially acknowledging their origins-at the Milan Fashion Week last month.
“They (Prada) are also keen to explore the possibilities for other products in jewellery and garment,” Maccia president Lalit Gandhi told ET on a phone call.
ET had first reported on June 29 that Prada may send a team.
Gandhi said Prada’s technical team will visit Mumbai and Kolhapur next week to discuss and share “standards and norms they are following for their products” with chamber office bearers, artisans and manufacturers.
Maccia will facilitate this initiative by connecting the company with reputed artisan clusters and compliant manufacturers.
Prada said the conversation marked an important moment in building mutual understanding and generated a meaningful exchange to discuss potential opportunities for future collaboration.
“The next step will be for Prada’s supply chain team to meet a range of artisanal footwear manufacturers, and the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce has kindly agreed to support in identifying GI-approved manufacturers that Prada Group could potentially collaborate with,” a company spokesperson said in an email response to ET.
According to Maccia, Prada’s visit will focus on “identifying transparent, ESG-compliant and sustainable local supply chain partners for Kolhapuri chappal and other local artisan products manufacturers.”
Gandhi said Prada has agreed to acknowledge its collection as Kolhapuri sandals and complete GI compliances.
Maccia further proposed collaboration on heritage crafts such as Paithani weaving, Himroo textiles, anklets and regional embroidery work. Prada responded positively and agreed to explore these crafts for potential integration into future collections, the industry body said in a press release.
Both parties also discussed launching structured knowledge exchange and training programmes between Indian and Italian artisans. Prada expressed interest in supporting artisan skill development, design innovation and sustainability-led production models through cross-border collaboration and residencies.
The meeting was attended by five senior officials from Prada’s Milan headquarters, including group CSR head Lorenzo Bertelli and global communications director Christopher Bugg.
Representing Maharashtra in the meeting were senior members and stakeholders across the chamber and artisans.
