Possible UPSC Questions
- Short-answer/GS IV: Explain how the Prada–Kolhapuri controversy illustrates the importance of moral judgement in corporate decision-making.
- Essay: “Brand value ultimately rests on public trust; when trust is lost, everything is lost.” Discuss with suitable examples.
- GS I (Culture) / GS III (Economy): Evaluate the challenges faced in protecting India’s traditional handicrafts in global markets.
- GS II: Examine existing IPR and GI tag safeguards for indigenous crafts and suggest reforms to prevent cultural appropriation.
Quick Outline of Key Facts
| Point | Detail |
| Product in controversy | Prada’s open-toe braided leather sandals showcased at Milan Fashion Week 2025 |
| Traditional source | Kolhapuri chappals – hand-crafted leather footwear made for centuries in Maharashtra & Karnataka and protected by a GI tag (2019) |
| Core issue | Prada initially credited design only as “inspired by traditional Indian footwear”, omitting specific reference to Kolhapuris or their artisans |
| Ethical lens | Failing to give due credit = plagiarism / cultural appropriation → breach of Kantian duty ethics & Rest’s four-component model (sensitivity, judgement, motivation, action) |
| Wider context | Proliferation of AI-driven design replication heightens risk of uncredited copying; questions over corporate integrity, IPR and artisan livelihoods |
| Thought leaders cited | Immanuel Kant (intent defines guilt), Yuval Noah Harari (AI as “alien intelligence” and democratic threat) |
| Moral takeaway | Sustainable branding requires transparency, attribution, benefit-sharing with origin communities; trust is the currency of brand equity |
Summary
The global luxury label Prada courted controversy at the 2025 Milan Fashion Week when it unveiled sandals whose braided, open-toe construction mirrors the famous Kolhapuri chappal, a Geographical-Indication-protected craft of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Prada’s catalogue merely noted the design was “inspired by traditional Indian footwear”, omitting explicit mention of Kolhapuri heritage or the artisanal communities that sustain it.
Ethicists classify such omission as a failure of moral judgement: the brand benefited from an indigenous design while denying originators recognition and potential royalties. Drawing on Immanuel Kant, guilt in ethics arises at the level of intent; here, inadequate attribution signals disrespect. Using Rest’s Model of ethical decision-making, Prada faltered at all four steps—recognising the moral dimension, judging correctly, prioritising ethics over profit, and acting with integrity.
The episode is not isolated. Music plagiarism, literary copying and, increasingly, AI-generated replications reveal a broader “cheating mindset”. Historian Yuval Noah Harari warns that AI operates as an “alien intelligence” capable of autonomous creative acts, intensifying the ease of copying while diluting accountability. As AI tools mine cultural databases for “inspiration”, the risk of uncredited appropriation of traditional knowledge and designs multiplies.
For India, the controversy spotlights twin concerns: safeguarding cultural patrimony abroad and ensuring economic justice for craftspeople at home. While Kolhapuri chappals secured a GI tag in 2019, enforcement across jurisdictions remains weak. When multinational houses leverage indigenous aesthetics without fair compensation, artisans lose both income and cultural sovereignty.
Trust lies at the heart of branding. Consumers increasingly reward authenticity and penalise perceived exploitation. Prada’s initial lapse triggered social-media censure and could erode brand equity, encapsulated by the Hindi quip from Bollywood film Suhag cited in the article: “Dekhne mein nau, phatke mein sau”—Kolhapuris may look simple but pack a punch. The punch here is reputational.
The remedy is threefold: robust global IPR frameworks recognising GI tags; corporate commitment to transparent credit-sharing and benefit-sharing; and consumer vigilance. Ethical branding is not a compliance box but a strategic imperative in a world where AI turbo-charges imitation and public opinion moves at social-media speed. When trust is lost, as the Prada episode shows, sab kuchh kho jata hai—everything is lost.
Significance to the UPSC Exam
- Ethics/GS IV: Demonstrates application of ethical theories (Kant, Rest) to real-world corporate conduct.
- Culture/GS I: Highlights issues in preserving India’s intangible heritage amid globalisation.
- Economy/GS III: Connects IPR, GI tags and artisan livelihoods to larger questions of equitable growth.
- Essay: Offers a contemporary example to frame debates on trust, authenticity and the moral economy in the age of AI and global brands.
