Mexico accuses Adidas of cultural appropriation, demanding restitution for a shoe design resembling Indigenous huaraches from Oaxaca
Mexico accuses Adidas of cultural appropriation, demanding restitution for a shoe design resembling Indigenous huaraches from Oaxaca
Mexico’s government has accused sportswear giant Adidas of cultural appropriation, demanding compensation for a shoe design it says closely copies traditional Indigenous footwear from Oaxaca.
The controversy centers on Adidas’s new Oaxaca Slip-On, created by US fashion designer Willy Chavarria, who has Mexican heritage. Officials say the design a sneaker sole topped with the woven pattern of huarache sandals mirrors the work of artisans in Villa de Hidalgo Yalalag without authorisation from the community.
“It’s collective intellectual property. There must be compensation. The heritage law must be complied with,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said at her regular news conference on Friday. “Big companies often take products, ideas and designs from Indigenous communities. We are looking at the legal part to be able to support them.”
Oaxaca’s governor, Salomon Jara Cruz, sharply criticised the design, arguing that “creative inspiration” is not a valid justification for using cultural expressions that “provide identity to communities.” In a public letter to Adidas, he declared: “Culture isn’t sold, it’s respected.”The government said Adidas representatives had agreed to meet with Oaxaca authorities.
Mexico’s National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI) also announced plans to legally challenge the company. In a social media post, the INPI wrote, “The government of Mexico defends Indigenous intellectual property, against the well-known brand ADIDAS. The INPI will legally challenge the improper use of the traditional design of huaraches originating from Villa Hidalgo Yalalag, Oaxaca. Are you going to buy them?”
Deputy Culture Minister Marina Nunez confirmed that Adidas had contacted Oaxacan officials to discuss “restitution to the people who were plagiarised.”
For some artisans, the dispute is about more than just intellectual property. Viridiana Jarquin Garcia, a huaraches creator and vendor in Oaxaca’s capital, said the Adidas shoes were a “cheap copy” of authentic work. “The artistry is being lost. We’re losing our tradition,” she said.
Adidas and Chavarria did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In a past interview with Sneaker News, Chavarria defended his collaboration with the company, saying, “I’m very proud to work with a company that really respects and elevates culture in the truest way.”
Handicrafts are a crucial economic lifeline in Mexico, employing about half a million people and making up around 10 percent of GDP in states such as Oaxaca, Jalisco, Michoacan and Guerrero.
This latest dispute follows previous Mexican government complaints against brands including Shein, Zara, Carolina Herrera and Louis Vuitton for using Indigenous designs without permission.
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