Why do some countries turn culture into influence, prestige, and profit while others struggle to do the same? The answer lies not in heritage alone but in the institutions, strategies, and narratives that transform cultural assets into soft power. For India, the challenge is not preserving its craft traditions, but projecting them to the world.

In June 2025, a male model wore a sandal and walked down a runway in Milan, Italy’s fashion capital—the world’s, some would say. The sandal, or what we call a Chappal here in India, had a braided T-strap, an open back, and a flat tan sole. Most Indians could have recognised it just like that. Prada simply called it a leather sandal, but priced it at around a lakh of rupees. In Kolhapur, where the same sandal has been cut, soaked, and hand-stitched for eight centuries, it sells for the cost of a good lunch. Indian thali, not Italian high fare. 

Then the expected happened. “Cultural appropriation,” said the Indian columnists. “Oh My God,” exclaimed India’s urban X. “Infringement,” said the lawyers; after all, the Kolhapuri chappal has carried a Geographical Indication tag since 2019. That’s when things started picking up—India, as we know, works well in crisis mode. Within weeks, a public interest litigation reached the Bombay High Court. The Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce wrote to Milan. Pressure mounted, and Prada conceded that the design was “inspired” by traditional Indian footwear, and promised a “dialogue” with the artisans. This Italian job didn’t go as planned.