Mexico City (AP) – Willy Chavalia, a Mexican-American clothing designer, apologizes for the adidas sandals he created after he created them He was accused by Mexican authorities of “cultural appropriation” to mimic Indigenous shoe designs.
The design, launched by Adidas, known as the Oaxaca slip-on, is a black sandal with a braided leather strap attached to a chunky sports shoe sole.
Mexican artisans and authorities say the intricate leather braids are surprisingly similar to traditional footwear known as Falach, made by the indigenous peoples of Oaxaca, produced primarily in the town of Villa Hidalgo Yararag.
They accuse the brand and Chabaria of “cultural appropriation” and copying designs without permission from Indigenous communities. Authorities quickly realized that cultural Mexican designs had been copied for a long time before by major brands, and said they had planned to tighten the laws to protect Mexican designs.
Chabaria responded to increasing criticism in comments sent to the Associated Press on Tuesday. In a statement addressed to the “people of Oaxaca,” he said the design “is intended to honor the strong cultural and artistic spirit of Oaxaca and its creative community.
“We are deeply sorry that shoes have been allocated to this design and have not developed in a direct and meaningful partnership with the Oaxacan community,” writes Chavalia. “This is not at the respect and collaborative approach that Oaxaca, the Zapotec community of Villa Hidalgo Yaralagh and its people deserve.”
Chavarria is a Mexican-American designer who has gained fame for her designs exploring Chicano or Mexican-American culture, often mixing Mexican themes and American products. His designs include a sweater reading “Chicano” in red, scripted font, and a style featuring a Mexican flag and a cowboy hat reminiscent of northern Mexico culture.
In recent months, Chabaria has also fallen into the spotlight of her show at Paris Fashion Week, which was meant as a criticism of the Trump administration’s deportation policy.
Chavalia’s comments come days after Adidas made a public apology for the design, saying in a statement it reaffirms “our commitment to working with Yararag in a respectful dialogue that respects cultural heritage.” Last week, in a letter to Oaxacan officials, the company requested that they sit with local officials and discuss ways that Indigenous people could “repair the damage.”
“Adidas recognizes and cherishes the meaning of the cultural richness and artisan heritage of Mexico’s indigenous communities,” he wrote in the statement.
