Finance
Adidas visits Indigenous Mexican town to apologize for sandal design
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on August 21, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on August 21, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Adidas visited a Mexican town to apologize for a sandal design deemed cultural appropriation, pledging future collaboration with the community.
VILLA HIDALGO YALALAG, Mexico (Reuters) -Adidas executives visited a small Indigenous town in the mountains of southern Mexico on Thursday to offer an apology over a sandal-inspired shoe design that Mexico's government had blasted as cultural appropriation.
The German sportswear company sent representatives from its Mexican unit to Villa Hidalgo Yalalag, a town in Oaxaca state, to deliver the comments in person after issuing a written apology last week.
The issue related to the "Oaxaca Slip On," designed by Mexican-American designer Willy Chavarria, which locals say closely resembles their traditional handmade huarache sandals.
"We understand this situation may have caused discomfort, and for that reason, we offer a public apology," Karen Gonzalez, head of Legal and Compliance at Adidas Mexico, told a few dozen people gathered at an outdoor sports field.
The event included traditional music and attendees in Indigenous attire.
Gonzalez said Adidas would in future seek collaboration with Villa Hidalgo Yalalag to ensure respect for its cultural heritage. The community is home to fewer than 2,000 people.
"Thank you very much for keeping your word," said Mayor Eric Fabian. "(Our cultural heritage) is something we safeguard very carefully. Yalalag lives from its crafts," he added.
The controversy drew national attention earlier this month when Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum criticized Adidas and announced plans to explore legal avenues to protect Indigenous communities from alleged cultural appropriation by big companies.
Mexico has previously accused other big-name global fashion players of exploiting Indigenous designs without consent.
(Reporting by Jesus Cortes, Writing by Raul Cortes, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
Cultural appropriation is the act of taking or using elements from one culture by members of another culture, often without permission or understanding, which can lead to controversy and claims of disrespect.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to practices and policies undertaken by corporations to have a positive impact on society, including ethical behavior, environmental sustainability, and community engagement.
A public apology is a formal expression of regret made by an individual or organization to acknowledge a mistake or offense, often aimed at restoring trust and goodwill with affected parties.
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