NEED TO KNOW
- Adidas and designer Willy Chavarria have been accused of cultural appropriation for their latest collaborative shoe design
- The Oaxaca Slip-On, according to Mexican officials, included design elements with cultural significance to the Zapotec Indigenous community in Oaxaca, Mexico
- The brand has since offered to sit down with Mexican authorities to find a solution; Chavarria has also issued an apology
Adidas and designer Willy Chavarria are facing backlash after Mexican officials accused them of cultural appropriation for their Oaxaca Slip-On.
The shoes, which took inspiration from the Mexican Huarache style of handmade leather sandals, came under fire from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who held a press conference about the footwear item, stating that it was reportedly made in China without crediting the Mexican communities that made the style popular.
The shoe has multiple design elements with direct ties to “the Zapotec Indigenous communities in Oaxaca, particularly in the town of Villa Hidalgo de Yalálag,” according to the Associated Press.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“Big companies often take products, ideas and designs from Indigenous communities,” Sheinbaum said during the conference. “We are looking at the legal part to be able to support them.”
On Friday, Aug. 8, Sheinbaum reported that Adidas was in communication with the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca to provide “compensation for the people who were plagiarized,” and that she is in the process of creating legal reforms to protect Mexican handicrafts from being copied.
Following Sheinbaum’s conference, Adidas responded with a letter that stated the company “deeply values the cultural wealth of Mexico’s Indigenous people and recognizes the relevance” of the cultural appropriation claims.
Adidas additionally requested to talk with Mexican officials to figure out how the brand can “repair the damage” that it has made against the Indigenous populations affected by the shoe design.
Adidas “recognizes and values the cultural richness of Mexico’s Indigenous communities and the meaning of their artisanal heritage,” the company said in a statement, per The New York Times.
“The Oaxaca Slip-On was inspired by a design from Oaxaca, rooted in the tradition of Villa Hidalgo Yalalag,” Adidas’ statement continued. “We offer a public apology and reaffirm our commitment to collaborate with Yalalag in a respectful dialogue that honors their cultural legacy.”
Chavarria also apologized.
“I am deeply sorry that the shoe was appropriated in this design and not developed in direct and meaningful partnership with the Oaxacan community,” he said in a statement to the BBC on Sunday, Aug. 10.
Chavarria said he was “deeply sorry” for not working with the Oaxacan community, adding, “This falls short of the respect and collaborative approach that Oaxaca, the Zapotec community of Villa Hidalgo Yalalag, and its people deserve. I know love is not just given – it is earned through action.”
PEOPLE has reached out to Adidas and Chavarria for comment.
The shoe was first teased on Aug. 3 via Instagram. Fans quickly hopped into the comments section of Hypebeast’s post that showcased the Oaxaca Slip-On and shares their opinions — and disappointment — at the design choice.
“I like them but it feels weird that they are inspired (copied) from the Mexican artisanal huarache and that no artisan benefits from this, not even involved in the work of making them,” one Instagram user wrote. “That would be a real collaboration that would come in handy.”
“I’ll get the real ones from Mexico (the ones with the tire outsole) and these. Mexicans supporting Mexicans,” one user wrote, while another user added, “my culture is not your costume.”
Read the full article here
