Mexican-American designer apologizes for Adidas sandal design accused of cultural appropriation

Mexican-American clothing designer Willy Chavarria has apologized for an Adidas sandal he created after being accused by Mexican authorities of “cultural appropriation” for imitating an Indigenous shoe design.

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.

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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.