Official Ownership of Kolhapuri Chappal GI Tag Lies Solely with LIDCOM and LIDKAR Corporations

Mumbai, Aug 25: The Kolhapuri Chappal, a traditional and historic footwear from Maharashtra and Karnataka, holds a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The official registered ownership of this GI tag rests exclusively with Sant Rohidas Leather Industries and Charmakar Development Corporation Limited (LIDCOM) and Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram Leather Industries Development Corporation Limited (LIDKAR), as clarified by the Managing Directors of both corporations.

In June 2025, Italy’s renowned ‘Prada’ brand showcased its Spring/Summer collection for men. It was observed that the design of leather sandals worn by models during this fashion show closely resembled Maharashtra’s traditional and GI-registered Kolhapuri Chappals. This incident sparked intense reactions across social media platforms and among traditional artisan communities. Following this, a group of lawyers filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Mumbai High Court, challenging Prada for allegedly infringing upon the design of the GI-protected Kolhapuri Chappals.

On July 16, 2025, the High Court bench dismissed the PIL, ruling that only the officially registered holders of the Kolhapuri Chappal’s GI tag — namely, the leather industry development corporations of Maharashtra and Karnataka — have the legal standing to initiate such civil proceedings.

In light of this development, LIDCOM and LIDKAR have jointly clarified that they are the sole official registered owners of the Kolhapuri Chappal Global GI Tag. They emphasized that no individual or organization, other than these two corporations, holds any right to engage in dialogue, negotiations, or representation with ‘Prada’ or any other international entity concerning this matter.

The history of Kolhapuri Chappals traces back to the 12th-century saint traditions and is intertwined with the progressive policies of Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj in the 20th century. LIDCOM Managing Director Prerna Deshbhratar and LIDKAR Managing Director K.M. Vasundhara, through an official press release, affirmed that the joint objective of both corporations is not merely to protect the Geographical Indication tag but also to safeguard the rights of thousands of local leather artisans and firmly establish this heritage at both national and international levels.