Sandal Design Sparks Clash Between Mexico and Adidas

At what point does homage cross the line into outright theft? It’s a debate that’s raged for as long as people have created objects, devices and works of art. And the latest front on which this quarrel has played out involves high-end sandals designed by Willy Chavarria as part of an Adidas collaboration.

Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum criticized a pair of sandals, the “Oaxaca Slip-On,” that Chavarria designed for Adidas Originals for hewing too closely to the work of Indigenous artisans in Oaxaca. As the Associated Press’s Fabiola Sánchez reported, Sheinbaum revealed that the Mexican government is seeking restitution from Adidas and is looking into ways to prevent the theft of traditional designs by large corporations.

The governor of Oaxaca, Salomón Jara Cruz, argued in a post on social media that Adidas’s actions were disrespectful to the sandals being made in Villa Hidalgo Yalalag. “The huaraches of Yalalag are part of the ancestral legacy of this community, a tradition passed down from generation to generation that reflects their identity,” he wrote. “This heritage is one of our greatest treasures, and we cannot allow it to be treated as mere merchandise.”

On Wednesday, CNN reported that the state’s government was exploring possible legal action against Adidas.

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In the most recent development in the case, Chavarria has expressed some remorse for the current situation. On Sunday, the BBC reprinted a statement given to them by the designer. “I am deeply sorry that the shoe was appropriated in this design and not developed in direct and meaningful partnership with the Oaxacan community,” he wrote. According to the Associated Press, Adidas is also seeking to meet with local representatives in the affected community.

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Tobias Carroll

Tobias Carroll lives and writes in New York City, and has been covering a wide variety of subjects — including (but not limited to) books, soccer and drinks — for many years. His writing has been published by the likes of the Los Angeles Times, Pitchfork, Literary Hub, Vulture, Punch, the New York Times and Men’s Journal. At InsideHook, he has…