AgenciesPriyank Kharge
After Kholapuri chappals recently went viral at the Italian luxury fashion house Prada鈥檚 summer collection, Karnataka Minister for Rural Development, Panchayat Raj and IT-BT, Priyank Kharge, highlighted that GI tag recognition isn鈥檛 enough and cultural entrepreneurship is needed. Kharge on Sunday also pointed out that while the chappals are commonly associated with Maharashtra, a large share of the artisans who craft them hail from Karnataka, sharing the tag.The minister said that with the sandals being priced at Rs 1.2 lakh, very few people know where they truly come from. Artisans from Athani, Nippani, Chikkodi, Raibag, and other parts of Belagavi, Bagalkot, and Dharwad in Karnataka have been making these chappals for generations. They have traditionally sold them in nearby towns, especially Kolhapur, which eventually became the default market, and over time, the brand, he said. 鈥淲e saw how Maharashtra was pushing for sole GI tag rights over Kolhapuris and through LIDKAR (Karnataka government鈥檚 subsidiary), we contested this and fought to ensure the state鈥檚 artisans were not left out,鈥 Kharge wrote X. The GI tag was granted jointly to four districts each in Karnataka and Maharashtra. 鈥淭his was never about a contest between the two states but about preserving our shared heritage and giving our artisans the legal recognition they deserve,鈥 the rural development minister said. Kharge called for greater investment in design, branding, skilling, and market access for the artisan communities. 鈥淲hen international fashion houses adopt our designs, it is our artisans whose names, work, and legacy must be showcased 鈥 not sidelined,鈥 he added. While Prada has since acknowledged the Indian roots of the design and signalled openness to artisan collaboration, Kharge emphasised that the artisans don鈥檛 just deserve credit, they deserve better prices, wider exposure, and the chance to build lasting, dignified livelihoods from their craft.Live Events(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
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(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onPrada Kolhapuri chappalsartisan collaborationPriyank KhargeKarnataka artisansGI tag Kolhapuris(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online….moreless