India, Aug. 2 -- In an interesting twist to the Kolhapuri chappal saga, two state government corporations have claimed the exclusive right to hold discussions between international luxury fashion brand Prada and local craftspeople who make the slipper, as they are the official owners of the Geographical Indication (GI) tag assigned to the traditional footwear.

The development comes amid discussions between Prada and the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MACCIA) about a possible collaboration with local artisans to take the Kolhapuri chappal to global markets.

A GI tag, a form of intellectual property, identifies a unique geographic origin for a product, and helps protect the traditional craftsmanship and heritag...