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Luxury Brands Plagiarize Indian Culture in 2025
10 Dec
Summary
- Prada's Rs 1.2 lakh sandals mimicked Kolhapuri chappals without credit.
- Louis Vuitton's Rs 35 lakh auto-rickshaw bag sparked cultural appropriation debates.
- Dior's Rs 1.6 crore coat used Indian mukaish work without acknowledgment.
The year 2025 marked a significant turning point in global fashion's engagement with Indian culture, characterized by numerous accusations of design lifting and cultural erasure. High-profile luxury brands, including Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Dior, were repeatedly singled out for incorporating Indian craftsmanship and motifs into their collections without adequate acknowledgment or attribution.
Prada faced backlash in June for its Rs 1.2 lakh sandals that bore a striking resemblance to traditional Kolhapuri chappals, igniting a debate about intellectual property and artisan recognition. Shortly after, Louis Vuitton launched an auto-rickshaw-shaped handbag priced at Rs 35 lakh, raising questions about the line between homage and appropriation. Dior's debut collection also drew criticism for a Rs 1.6 crore overcoat embellished with Lucknow's mukaish work, yet failed to credit the technique's origins.
Beyond these major incidents, the year also saw smaller designers like Anupamaa Dayal alleging intellectual property theft by international chains, and European influencers rebranding Indian dupattas as 'Scandinavian scarves.' These events underscored a growing impatience among Indian consumers and creators, emphasizing that in an interconnected world, crediting cultural heritage is no longer optional but a necessity for fair recognition.
