Mexican officials are asking Adidas to pull a new sandal from its lineup, claiming the design copies a traditional Indigenous style of footwear known as huaraches. They argue the company is profiting from a cultural craft without properly recognizing or compensating its original creators.
Design dispute sparks cultural debate
Undersecretary of Cultural Development Marina Núñez says the sandal’s design originates from an Indigenous community in Oaxaca, where artisans have crafted similar styles for generations.
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American designer Willy Chavarría created the “Oaxaca Slip-On” for Adidas Originals. The leather sandals feature a crisscross front pattern resembling traditional Mexican huaraches, but with a chunkier sole added by Adidas.
Núñez said Adidas is in talks with officials in the state of Oaxaca to reach an agreement that properly compensates the community whose traditional design inspired the shoe.
Handicrafts fuel local economies
Handicrafts play a key role in Mexico’s economy, supporting the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands nationwide. In states like Oaxaca, Jalisco, Michoacán and Guerrero, the craft industry makes up roughly 10% of the local GDP.
Not a first offense, officials say
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Adidas must comply with the country’s Protection of the Cultural Heritage of Indigenous and Afro-Mexican Peoples and Communities, which aims to protect indigenous cultural expressions and prevent companies from profiting off traditional designs without proper recognition or compensation. The law requires brands to credit the communities behind cultural works and seek permission before using elements rooted in Indigenous heritage.
“We’ll see if it can be resolved in the talks, and if not, well, we’re already looking into legal action as well,” Sheinbaum said Friday.
Sheinbaum said during a media briefing that this isn’t the first time a company has copied Mexican handicrafts. “They often take products, ideas and designs from Indigenous communities in our country,” she said.
In 2021, Mexico’s government pressed major retailers, Zara, Anthropologie and Patowl, for answers after they were accused of using Indigenous designs from Oaxaca in their clothing lines without permission or credit.
The sandal has yet to hit the market, and Adidas has not made any public statements about the dispute.
