JAKARTA - The Mexican government will file a lawsuit against Adidas. Currently, they are demanding compensation for assuming the sports equipment giant carried out cultural appropriation or cultural retrieval unilaterally.
These allegations arise because Adidas launched a new shoe design that is considered very similar to traditional footwear for Mexican indigenous peoples, namely huaraches.
The shoe, named Oaxaca Slip-On, was designed by a fashion designer from the United States, Willy Chavarria, who has Mexican descent.
However, this design drew strong protests from officials in the state of Oaxaca, southern Mexico.
They confirmed that no permit was granted by the indigenous community in the village of Villa de Hidalgo Yalalag, which is the origin of the original design of the Huaraches.
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"That is a collective intellectual property right. There must be compensation. The cultural heritage law must be adhered to," Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said at a press conference, quoted from the Al Jazeera website on Saturday, August 9, 2025.
Sheinbaum also highlighted the habit of large companies taking works and ideas from indigenous communities.
"Large companies often take products, ideas, and designs from indigenous communities. We are studying legal aspects to help them," he said.
The Mexican government said Adidas had agreed to meet with the Oaxaca authorities to discuss the matter.
The governor of Oaxaca state, Embleman Jara Cruz, in an open letter to Adidas, criticized the design that combines the soles of sneakers with the woven sandals of huaraches.
He considered that the pretext of creative inspiration could not be justified as the use of cultural expressions. According to him, the design becomes a community identity.
"The culture is not sold, but respected." he said.
Local media periodico Supremo reports Mexico's National Institute of Indigenous Peoples will file a lawsuit against Adidas' design.
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