The controversy intensified when the business leaders Harsh Goenka and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw questioned the luxury brand’s use of the design without apparent credit to Indian craftsmanship.
“After the Prada Kolhapuri chappal scandal, here comes the Fendi “Navratri" bag.
The controversy centred on concerns that the footwear was presented without sufficient acknowledgement of its Indian cultural and craft origins.
Why did Harsh Goenka and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw criticize Fendi over its Multicolour Re Edition bag?
Harsh Goenka criticized Fendi for charging ‹8.3 lakh for a design that looks exactly like a ‹500 bag sold in Gujarat, without giving credit to Indian artisans.
News viral Fendi’s ₹8.3 Lakh 'Navratri' Bag Goes Viral; Harsh Goenka, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Call It Out
Fendi’s ₹8.3 Lakh 'Navratri' Bag Goes Viral; Harsh Goenka, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Call It Out
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Last Updated: September 16, 2026, 11:45 IST
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw criticised Fendi’s ₹8.3-lakh multicolour bag, saying it repackages Indian craft without crediting the artisans who preserved the tradition
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Harsh Goenka and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw weighed in on the design and its apparent Indian influence (Image-RPG Group, Fendi, Biospectraasia)
Italian luxury fashion house Fendi has sparked a debate online after social media users compared its mirror and bead design to the vibrant bags commonly seen in Indian markets during Navratri. The controversy intensified when the business leaders Harsh Goenka and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw questioned the luxury brand’s use of the design without apparent credit to Indian craftsmanship.
The handbag, listed by Fendi as the “Baguette 26424: Multicolour Re Edition bag with embroidery and mirrors", features an elaborate combination of beads, mirrors and embroidery.
According to the brand’s product description, the bag is entirely embroidered by hand and incorporates 39,500 beads and 475 mirrors. The craftsmanship reportedly takes more than 138 hours to complete.
The product is priced at around ₹8.3 lakh and is described as being made in Italy. Its vibrant multicolour appearance and mirror embellishments have prompted social media users to compare it with colourful bags and accessories frequently sold in Indian markets, particularly those associated with festive wear and Navratri celebrations.
Goenka, chairman of the RPG Group, shared an image of the Fendi product and questioned the price difference between the luxury bag and similar-looking products available in India. “After the Prada Kolhapuri chappal scandal, here comes the Fendi “Navratri" bag. Charging ₹8.3 Lakhs for a design that looks exactly like a ₹500 bag available in the streets of Gujarat. And zero credit to Indian artisans. When will luxury brands stop colonising our crafts?" he wrote.
His reference to Prada relates to the backlash the fashion house faced last year over footwear that closely resembled traditional Kolhapuri chappals, a style associated with Maharashtra. The controversy centred on concerns that the footwear was presented without sufficient acknowledgement of its Indian cultural and craft origins. Prada subsequently added cultural and historical context about the footwear to its official website.
Mazumdar-Shaw, founder of Biocon, joined the discussion after reacting to Goenka’s post. She accused Fendi of cultural appropriation and said that presenting traditional Indian craftsmanship as luxury without acknowledging the artisans behind it diminishes their contribution.
“This is a case of cultural appropriation & not in good taste. Repackaging India’s traditional craft as luxury, without credit to the artisans who created and preserved it, undermines our authentic talent and heritage." she tweeted.
She further added, “Indian craftsmanship deserves recognition, not imitation."
The debate has since expanded beyond the Fendi bag itself, with social media users discussing whether traditional crafts can be protected from imitation, whether Indian artisans receive adequate recognition and whether Indian designers and businesses have done enough to build internationally recognised brands based on indigenous craftsmanship.
One user called for a boycott of the luxury label, writing, “India as a whole must simply boycott fendi , all its products , all its showrooms. let tukaram find an excuse to shut down their shops here.
let custom , gst check their documents."
Another user described the controversy as plagiarism and called for legal action, saying, “Let’s start calling it for what it is “PLAGIARISM" #StolenFromIndia. Need some litigations to start on these so called unoriginal designer luxury brands. Recall, India was successful a few decades ago on stopping turmeric, basmati, neem on getting patented by Westerners."
A third user shifted the focus towards India’s own fashion and luxury industry, commenting, “That’s our problem that we failed to create global brands with our designs, products et. al. You can’t stop anyone copying and they hv created brand equity!!"
Another argued that cultural sentiment alone may not be enough to prevent commercial use of traditional designs, saying, “Why is it that we expect the capitalists to accommodate cultural emotions? They are capitalists for a reason. The craft has to be patented. Thats how the capitalists do it and then sue in billions whoever copies."
A fifth user questioned whether India itself does enough to support traditional crafts and the people who preserve them. “Why will they stop? What have we done to promote our own crafts? What respect to we give to our own artisans? Do we ensure that this craft moves from one generation to another and more than fills the stomachs of the artisans?" the user said.
Disclaimer: This article is based on user-generated content. The claims made in the original post have not been independently verified by News18.
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Quick Answers Powered by Ask News18 What is the official name and price of the Fendi bag that went viral for its resemblance to Indian Navratri bags? The handbag is officially listed by Fendi as the "Baguette 26424: Multicolour Re Edition bag with embroidery and mirrors" and is priced at around ‹8.3 lakh. Fendi describes the bag as a re-edition of its original 1997 Baguette design, brought back for the Fall/Winter 2026-27 collection. Why did Harsh Goenka and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw criticize Fendi over its Multicolour Re Edition bag? Harsh Goenka criticized Fendi for charging ‹8.3 lakh for a design that looks exactly like a ‹500 bag sold in Gujarat, without giving credit to Indian artisans. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw accused Fendi of cultural appropriation, stating that repackaging India's traditional craft as luxury without acknowledging the artisans undermines authentic heritage. How did Prada respond to the backlash over its Kolhapuri-style sandals? Following backlash in 2025 for showcasing Kolhapuri-style sandals without credit, Prada added cultural and historical context to its website. It later launched a limited-edition line handcrafted in India in collaboration with state-backed organizations LIDCOM and LIDKAR, and introduced a three-year training program for local artisans. Powered by Ask News18
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First Published: September 16, 2026, 11:42 IST
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