Mumbai, June 30 -- Days after an open-toe sandal design by Prada sparked a furore among Indian artisans and politicians, the luxury fashion house acknowledged the ancient Indian roots of the design in a statement that suggested they were open for a "dialogue for meaningful exchange with local Indian artisans". Images from Prada's fashion show in Milan last weekend showed models wearing leather sandals with a braided design that resembled handmade Kolhapuri slippers with designs dating back to the 12th century. A wave of criticism in the media and from lawmakers followed over the Italian brand's lack of public acknowledgement of the Indian sandal design, which is named after a city in the western state of Maharashtra. Lorenzo Bertelli, son of Prada's owners, responded to the sandal scandal in a letter to a trade group on Friday recognising their Indian heritage. "We acknowledge that the sandals... are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, with a centuries-old heritage," Bertelli, Prada's head of corporate social responsibility, wrote in the letter to the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce. The sandals are at an early stage of design and it is not certain they will be commercialized, but Prada is open to a "dialogue for meaningful exchange with local Indian artisans" and will arrange follow-up meetings, he wrote. The GI-tagged footwear, a symbol of Indian craft that goes back centuries was appropriated by the Italian luxury label which featured it in Spring/Summer 2026 show, is sold between Rs 400 to Rs 4,000, and Prada sells its similar footwear for over Rs 1 lakh. Kolhapuri chappals are typically handcrafted and manufactured in the Maharashtra town of Kolhapur, from where they take their name, and the surrounding districts of Sangli, Satara and Solapur. The craft has a legacy dating back to the 12th or 13th century. Originally patronised by the royals of the region, Kolhapuri sandals were crafted by the local cobbler community using vegetable-tanned leather and were entirely handmade - using no nails or synthetic components. They're also known for their signature T-strap shape, detailed braiding, and open-toe design - a perfect blend of practicality and fashion. In 2019, Kolhapuri chappals were granted GI tag status by the government of India, recognising them as a unique product tied to eight districts across Maharashtra and Karnataka. The statement by the fashion house was welcomed by MACCIA, which said that the row has opened "the doors of the global market for Kolhapuri chappal and local craftsmen will get huge benefit from it". "We welcome the response from Prada which admitted that the design showcase by them was inspired by Kolhapuri chappal and readiness to recognize the value of specialised craftspeople by meaningful exchange with local artists and MACCIA. The team of Prada will soon come for discussion on the revenue sharing model," Lalit Gandhi, MACCIA president, said. The fashion brand, however, has not given any details of revenue sharing with the artisans or the commerce body....