Adidas accused of cultural appropriation by Mexico over new footwear design

4 days ago 24

Mexican officials accidental sportswear elephantine took plan thought from Indigenous assemblage successful country’s confederate Oaxaca state.

Published On 9 Aug 2025

Mexico’s authorities is seeking compensation from Adidas, accusing the sportswear elephantine of taste appropriation for launching a caller footwear plan strikingly akin to accepted Indigenous footwear known arsenic huaraches.

Adidas’s caller Oaxaca Slip-On was created by United States manner decorator Willy Chavarria, who has Mexican heritage.

But the footwear has drawn beardown pushback from officials successful Mexico’s confederate authorities of Oaxaca, who accidental nary authorisation was fixed by the Indigenous community, successful the colony of Villa de Hidalgo Yalalag, down the archetypal design.

“It’s corporate intelligence property. There indispensable beryllium compensation. The practice instrumentality indispensable beryllium complied with,” Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said during her regular quality league connected Friday.

“Big companies often instrumentality products, ideas and designs from Indigenous communities,” Sheinbaum said.

“We are looking astatine the ineligible portion to beryllium capable to enactment them,” she said.

The authorities said that Adidas representatives had agreed to conscionable with Oaxaca authorities.

Marina Nunez Bespalova, Mexico's Undersecretary of Cultural Development, speaks during President Claudia Sheinbaum's greeting property league astatine the National Palace to condemn Adidas and U.S. decorator Willy Chavarria implicit the

In a nationalist missive to Adidas, Oaxaca authorities governor, Salomon Jara Cruz, criticised the company’s plan – which has a sneaker sole topped with the weave of huarache sandals – saying that “creative inspiration” is not a valid justification for utilizing taste expressions that “provide individuality to communities”.

“Culture isn’t sold, it’s respected,” helium said.

Mexican quality outlet Periodico Supremo said the country’s National Institute of Indigenous Peoples volition motorboat a ineligible situation implicit the Adidas design, and asked followers connected societal media: “Are you going to bargain them?”

🔴 Están “padres”….🩴

Gobierno de #México defiende propiedad intelectual indígena, en contra de la reconocida marca ADIDAS (@adidas)

El INPI (@INPImx) reclamará legalmente el uso indebido del diseño tradicional de guaraches originarios de Villa Hidalgo Yalálag, #Oaxaca

¿Vas a… pic.twitter.com/KPtrfZMLGC

— PERIÓDICO SupreMo 🔴 (@Diario_Supremo) August 8, 2025

Translation: The authorities of Mexico defends Indigenous intelligence property, against the well-known marque ADIDAS. The INPI volition legally situation the improper usage of the accepted plan of huaraches originating from Villa Hidalgo Yalalag, Oaxaca. Are you going to bargain them?

The contention is the latest lawsuit of Mexican officials denouncing large covering brands oregon designers utilizing unauthorised Indigenous creation oregon designs from the region, with erstwhile complaints raised astir accelerated manner juggernaut Shein, Spain’s Zara and high-end labels Carolina Herrera and Louis Vuitton.

Mexico’s Deputy Culture Minister Marina Nunez confirmed Adidas had contacted Oaxacan officials to sermon “restitution to the radical who were plagiarised”.

Neither Adidas nor the decorator Chavarria, who was calved successful the US to an Irish-American parent and a Mexican-American father, instantly responded to requests for remark from reporters.

Chavarria had antecedently told Sneaker News that helium had intended to observe his taste practice done his enactment with Adidas.

“I’m precise arrogant to enactment with a institution that truly respects and elevates civilization successful the truest way,” helium said.

Handicrafts are a important economical lifeline successful Mexico, providing jobs for astir fractional a cardinal radical crossed the country. The manufacture accounts for astir 10 percent of the gross home merchandise (GDP) of states specified arsenic Oaxaca, Jalisco, Michoacan and Guerrero.

For Viridiana Jarquin Garcia, a huaraches creator and vendor successful Oaxaca’s capital, the Adidas shoes were a “cheap copy” of the benignant of enactment that Mexican artists instrumentality clip and attraction to craft.

“The artistry is being lost. We’re losing our tradition,” she said successful beforehand of her tiny booth of leather shoes.