Luxury fashion house Prada has landed in hot water in India after its new footwear collection featured what appears to be a modernised version of the traditional Kolhapuri chappal - priced at a jaw-dropping ₹1.2 lakh. The outrage was swift and widespread, with many accusing the brand of cultural appropriation and tone-deaf pricing.

Netizens pointed out that these handcrafted leather sandals, rooted deeply in Maharashtrian tradition, are available in local Indian markets for under ₹1,000 - and often made by artisans who struggle to make ends meet. The fact that a European fashion house is profiting off a deeply cultural Indian design without acknowledgment or reinvestment in its origin community has further inflamed sentiment.

While some argue that the uproar is a result of misplaced nationalism and "keyboard activism", others see it as part of a broader pattern where indigenous designs are rebranded by global fashion giants - without giving due credit or support to the original creators.

The real question: Is it fashion, or just a flex that missed the point?