The
design launched by Adidas, known as the Oaxaca Slip On, is a
black sandal with braided leather straps attached to a chunky
sports shoe sole.
Mexican artisans and authorities say the intricate leather
braids look strikingly similar to the traditional footwear known
as huaraches made by the Zapotec Indigenous people in Oaxaca,
produced mostly in the town of Villa Hidalgo Yalalag.
They have accused the brand and Chavarria of “cultural
appropriation” and of copying the design without the permission
of the Indigenous community. Authorities were quick to note that
cultural Mexican designs have long been copied by major brands
before, and said they planned to tighten laws to protect Mexican
designs.
Chavarria responded to mounting criticisms in comments sent to
The Associated Press on Tuesday. In a statement addressed to the
“people of Oaxaca,” he said that the design was intended to “to
honor the powerful cultural and artistic spirit of Oaxaca and
its creative communities — a place whose beauty and resistance
have inspired me.”
“I am deeply sorry that the shoe was appropriated in this design
and not developed in direct and meaningful partnership with the
Oaxacan community,” Chavarria wrote. “This falls short of the
respect and collaborative approach that Oaxaca, the Zapotec
community of Villa Hidalgo Yalalag, and its people deserve.”
Chavarria is a Mexican-American designer, who has risen to fame
for his designs exploring Chicano, or Mexican-American, culture,
often mixing Mexican themes with American products. His designs
include sweaters reading “Chicano” in red, scripted font, and
styles with the Mexican flag and cowboy hats reminiscent of
northern Mexican culture.
In recent months, Chavarria also was put in the spotlight for a
show at Paris Fashion Week that was intended as criticism of the
Trump administration's deportation policy.
Chavarria's comments came days after Adidas made a public
apology for the design, and in a statement said it was
reaffirming “our commitment to collaborate with Yalalag in a
respectful dialogue that honors their cultural legacy.” Last
week, in a letter to Oaxacan state officials, the company
requested to sit down with local officials and to discuss how it
can “repair the damage” to Indigenous populations.
“Adidas recognizes and values the cultural richness of Mexico’s
Indigenous communities and the meaning of their artisanal
heritage,” it wrote in a statement.
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