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Adidas Apologizes for Sandal Appropriating Indigenous Mexican Design

Sandals known as "huaraches" are displayed for sale at a market in Oaxaca, Mexico, Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. (AP)
Sandals known as "huaraches" are displayed for sale at a market in Oaxaca, Mexico, Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. (AP)
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Adidas Apologizes for Sandal Appropriating Indigenous Mexican Design

Sandals known as "huaraches" are displayed for sale at a market in Oaxaca, Mexico, Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. (AP)
Sandals known as "huaraches" are displayed for sale at a market in Oaxaca, Mexico, Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. (AP)

Adidas has formally apologized after Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum criticized the sportswear brand over a shoe that replicated traditional Indigenous huarache sandals without attributing the design or crediting artisans.

The misstep comes shortly after Prada triggered a widespread backlash in India when its Milan fashion show debuted a sandal replicating Kolhapuri slippers, highlighting the increased scrutiny multinational brands face over the origin of their designs.

"The 'Oaxaca slip-on' was inspired by a design from Oaxaca, rooted in the tradition of Villa Hidalgo Yalálag," Adidas said in a statement.

"We offer a public apology and reaffirm our commitment to collaborate with Yalálag in a respectful dialogue that honors their cultural legacy."

Sheinbaum said on Friday that her administration is looking into legal ways of supporting Indigenous communities whose designs are taken by big companies, after Oaxaca officials criticized the Adidas shoe.

The Oaxaca slip-on, launched five days ago by Mexican-American designer Willy Chavarria with Adidas, features a black sneaker sole topped with the leather weave typical of Mexico's huarache sandals.

Chavarria said on Saturday he was "deeply sorry that the shoe was appropriated in this design and not developed in direct and meaningful partnership with the Oaxacan community".

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Culture

‘Unique’ 16th Century Wreck Found off Sweden

A Swedish flag flutters in front of residential houses in Stockholm, Sweden, September 14, 2023. (Reuters)
A Swedish flag flutters in front of residential houses in Stockholm, Sweden, September 14, 2023. (Reuters)
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‘Unique’ 16th Century Wreck Found off Sweden

A Swedish flag flutters in front of residential houses in Stockholm, Sweden, September 14, 2023. (Reuters)
A Swedish flag flutters in front of residential houses in Stockholm, Sweden, September 14, 2023. (Reuters)

A 16th century shipwreck providing "unique historical and archaeological information" has been discovered off Sweden's southeastern coast, officials announced on Tuesday.

The ship, which has yet to be identified, is believed to have been built in the late 1500s, which would make it older than Sweden's iconic 17th-century warship "Vasa" on display in Stockholm after being salvaged in the 1960s.

A navy vessel found the wreck during a military exercise in late 2025 in Kalmar Strait, located between Sweden's southeastern mainland and the Baltic Sea island of Oland.

"After dendrochronological analysis of part of the wreck, results indicate that the ship was built in the late 1500s," the County Administrative Board in Kalmar said in a statement, referring to the scientific method of dating wood and trees.

"The shipwreck is of significant cultural historical value," antiquarian Daniel Tedenlind said in the statement.

The site is currently under protection, monitored by the coast guard, and has been designated a historic monument. No diving, fishing or anchoring is permitted near the area.

Thanks to the Baltic Sea's unique combination of brackish water, cold, darkness and low oxygen, many wooden shipwrecks are preserved in good condition.

Culture

Saudi Museums Commission Explores Tapline's Historical and Cultural Legacy

Saudi Museums Commission Explores Tapline's Historical and Cultural Legacy
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Saudi Museums Commission Explores Tapline's Historical and Cultural Legacy

Saudi Museums Commission Explores Tapline's Historical and Cultural Legacy

Saudi Arabia’s Museums Commission organized a virtual session as part of its monthly open-meeting series, during which it explored the historical and social legacy of the Trans-Arabian Pipeline (Tapline) and its role in shaping the identity of Northern Borders Region, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday.

The meeting highlighted Tapline’s story as one of the largest construction projects of the 20th century. Construction began in 1947, and operations commenced in 1950, linking the oil fields of eastern Saudi Arabia to the port of Sidon on Lebanon’s Mediterranean coast.

Pumping operations ceased permanently in 1990.

Speakers focused on transforming this industrial legacy into a contemporary museum narrative that highlights Tapline's impact on the emergence of modern cities in the Northern Borders Region.

The meeting concluded with an open dialogue on the role of museums and exhibitions in preserving industrial memory while transforming it into cultural platforms that strengthen connections to national identity.

Culture

Archaeologists at Pompeii Use AI to Reveal the Face of One of the Victims

A view of the Pompeii Archeological Park, near Naples, southern Italy, on Dec. 14, 2022. (AP)
A view of the Pompeii Archeological Park, near Naples, southern Italy, on Dec. 14, 2022. (AP)
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Archaeologists at Pompeii Use AI to Reveal the Face of One of the Victims

A view of the Pompeii Archeological Park, near Naples, southern Italy, on Dec. 14, 2022. (AP)
A view of the Pompeii Archeological Park, near Naples, southern Italy, on Dec. 14, 2022. (AP)

Archaeologists at the ancient Roman site of Pompeii have used artificial intelligence for the first time to digitally reconstruct the face of a victim of the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius that smothered the city, offering a new way to understand one of history’s most famous natural disasters.

The digital portrait represents an older man who was among two victims discovered as they attempted to flee the city toward the coast of what is now Italy during the volcanic eruption. Researchers believe the man died earlier in the disaster, during a heavy fall of volcanic debris.

The reconstruction was developed by the Pompeii Archaeological Park in collaboration with the University of Padua and is based on archaeological survey data from excavations near the Porta Stabia necropolis, just outside the walls of the ancient city.

Pompeii, a UNESCO World Heritage site near Naples, was buried under ash and pumice when Mount Vesuvius erupted nearly 2,000 years ago, preserving the city and thousands of its inhabitants in remarkable detail.

Archaeologists found the victim holding a terracotta mortar, which they interpret as an improvised attempt to shield his head from falling lapilli, the small volcanic stones rained down during the eruption.

Ancient accounts, including those of Roman writer Pliny the Younger, describe residents using objects to protect themselves as ash and debris blanketed the city.

The man was also carrying an oil lamp, a small iron ring and 10 bronze coins, personal objects that offer insight into his final moments, as well as daily life in Pompeii before the catastrophe.

The digital portrait was created using artificial intelligence and photo-editing techniques designed to translate skeletal and archaeological data into a realistic human likeness.

“The vastness of archaeological data is now such that only with the help of artificial intelligence will we be able to adequately protect and enhance them. If used well, AI can contribute to a renewal of classical studies,” Pompeii park director Gabriel Zuchtriegel said in a statement.

The project aims to make archaeological research more accessible and emotionally engaging for the public while maintaining a scientific foundation, researchers said.