Mexican authorities fire off letter to Adidas, accuse it of cultural appropriation in sandal design

Authorities in Oaxaca have demanded Adidas withdraw the “Oaxaca Slip-On” from sale and issue a public apology.

Updated: August 9, 2025 08:38 PM IST

Sandals known as "huaraches" are displayed for sale at a market in Oaxaca, Mexico (left); “Oaxaca Slip-On,” created for Adidas Originals by US designer Willy Chavarría (right) (AP/X/@laredcincoradio)

Mexican authorities have accused sportswear company Adidas of copying a traditional indigenous sandal design in a new product, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

The design in question, called the “Oaxaca Slip-On,” was created for Adidas Originals by US designer Willy Chavarría. It features thin braided leather straps similar to those found on traditional huaraches made by artisans in the southern state of Oaxaca. The Adidas version uses a thicker sports shoe sole instead of the flat leather sole.

According to Mexican officials, the design includes elements that form part of the cultural heritage of the Zapotec Indigenous communities in Oaxaca, particularly from the town of Villa Hidalgo de Yalálag. Handicrafts are an important source of income in Mexico, employing around half a million people nationwide.

Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara Cruz sent a public letter to Adidas leadership criticising the design. “Creative inspiration is not a valid justification for using cultural expressions that provide identity to communities,” he wrote, adding: “Culture isn’t sold, it’s respected.”

Local artisan Viridiana Jarquín García, who makes and sells huaraches in Oaxaca City, told AP the Adidas model was a “cheap copy” of work that takes time and care to make. “The artistry is being lost. We’re losing our tradition,” she said.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Adidas was already in talks with Oaxaca state authorities to provide “compensation for the people who were plagiarised” and that her government was preparing legal reforms to prevent the copying of traditional designs.

Adidas responded in a letter on Friday saying it “deeply values the cultural wealth of Mexico’s Indigenous people and recognises the relevance” of the concerns. The company asked to meet officials to discuss how it could “repair the damage” to Indigenous populations.

Authorities in Oaxaca have demanded Adidas withdraw the “Oaxaca Slip-On” from sale and issue a public apology.

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The dispute is part of a wider push by Mexico to protect Indigenous designs. In 2021, the federal government asked brands including Zara, Anthropologie and Patowl to explain why they were selling products based on designs from Oaxaca’s Indigenous communities without permission.

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