Mexican-American fashion designer Willy Chavarria partnered with Adidas Originals to create the 'Oaxaca Slip-On,' a shoe inspired by the traditional leather huarache sandals made for centuries by the indigenous Zapotec people of Oaxaca, Mexico. The design was manufactured in China without consulting, crediting, or compensating the communities that originated the craft.
Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum publicly condemned the collaboration, stating that 'big companies often take products, ideas and designs from Indigenous communities.' Mexican officials said they were examining legal options. The criticism escalated into a global story covered by The New York Times, BBC, CNN, and other outlets.
The backlash forced Chavarria and Adidas to apologize. Chavarria issued a statement saying he was 'deeply sorry that the shoe was appropriated' and that it was not developed 'in direct and meaningful partnership with the Oaxacan community.' Adidas removed promotional images and executives traveled to Villa Hidalgo Yalálag to deliver a spoken apology in person, committing to a future collaboration with local artisans.
Adidas and Chavarria apologized, pulled the shoe, and committed to a future collaboration with Oaxacan artisans after Mexico's president objected.
The collaboration followed standard fashion practice: drawing inspiration from traditional crafts without involving the source community — pattern criticized before, but this time by a head of state
Chavarria, a Mexican-American designer, should have known the sensitivity of appropriating a craft from his heritage — the gap between identity and community engagement showed the oversight.
Adidas' supply chain decision to manufacture in China rather than Oaxaca compounded the offense — profiting from an indigenous aesthetic while sending no economic benefit to its creators.
A designer's own heritage does not grant license to exploit an indigenous community's craft without consent or compensation — especially when manufacturing happens halfway around the world.
Adidas removed promotional images from social media and sent executives to Oaxaca to apologize in person to the Zapotec community of Villa Hidalgo Yalálag. The company committed to a future collaboration that would involve local artisans directly. Mexican officials continued to examine legal options. The controversy became one of the most prominent fashion cultural-appropriation incidents of 2025.
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