Category Entertainment News

Following Prada’s guilty Instagram post that names the Indian design of their newest Milan menswear sandal, South Asian creator Pranjal Jain instructs India to be on the offensive with stronger GI tags

Attempting to avoid the wave of backlash that followed the ‘Scandinavian scarf’ trend, luxury designer Prada issued a statement which acknowledging the South Asian inspiration behind its viral men’s “leather footwear” – but is it too little, too late?

During Milan’s Fashion Week, Prada launched its Menswear Spring/Summer collection for 2026, which featured summer sandals advertised as “leather footwear”. The one catch being that they were identical replicas of India’s Kolhapuri chappal – traditional, hand-crafted leather slippers often tanned using vegetable dyes.

Made in regions Maharashtra and Karnataka, the T-strapped sandals are worn by farmers, workmen and the royals of India, their origin tracing back to the 12th century Kolhapur. Known to be made without nails or synthetic materials, these sandals are both durable and eco-friendly – a must for current and young consumers.

READ MORE: TAHIRA ALI: ‘Fast fashion is selling Desi clothing without acknowledging our culture’

So when the models of Milan walked the runway of the world’s biggest fashion week, Indians and other South Asians alike were notably upset by the repeated crime of Western brands pocketing both profits and credits for an age-old design.

The main argument of South Asian consumers and critics was that these “modern day sandals” were available at many Indian stores, and for a fraction of the price. The inflation of the ‘every man’s’ shoe for a luxury market appeared to add fuel to the current debate on the European stripping of Desi culture.

In Prada’s comment section, one user wrote: “If you don’t credit the place or culture it cam from, it’s not “inspiration” anymore, it’s just copying,” with many sharing their anger at the use of term “inspired” for a design over 800 years old. Another named Jai sarcastically said: “You guys, everything is ok. They’re in contact with the chamber of commerce. It’s history repeating itself”. @medanmeicority added “You will find this in street shops for 350 INR – that is approx. four dollars”.

Cultural and fashion critic, Pranjal Jain, spoke to the Mirror on how South Asian designs are treated, stating her agreement in the righteous anger of her community over Prada’s lacklustre Instagram post naming the sandals as chappals a week after their global debut.

Though she acknowledged the economic pressure of South Asian designers to fold to pressures of catering to Western tastes (to compete with their repurposed designs), she reinforced the importance of people of the diaspora “to speak out against it, but also thinks that that’s only step one”.

“I think India and South Asia needs to have a stronger offence than defence. So I don’t think we should be acting from a reactionary position, we should be acting from an active position”. Her solution? Geographic Indicator (GI) tagging being made a legal enforcement onto brands wishing to draw from cultural designs.

GI tagging is the category protection of intellectual property, known to have passed in India “almost a couple decades ago,” said the fashion writer, who gave the example of basmati rice. By GI tagging products, people that “are actually working with artisan communities and that craft can [help designs] remain in the region it’s from,” said Pranjal.

“On a global scale, if we were to hold these giants to GI tagging, they’re obligated to work with artisans and actually pay them fairly,” she said.

Interestingly, following the backlash, a Prada spokesperson told the Mirror: “At Prada Group, we have always celebrated craftsmanship, heritage and design traditions. Prada acknowledges that sandals inspired by traditional Indian footwear made in specific districts in Maharashtra and Karnataka, India, were featured in its Men’s 2026 Spring Summer show in Milan”.

They also shared: “We are committed to responsible design practices, fostering cultural engagement, and opening a dialogue for a meaningful exchange with local Indian artisan communities as we have done in the past in other collections to ensure the rightful recognition of their craft. We are in contact with the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture on this topic. “

They added that the designer was not opposed to a “meaningful exchange with local Indian artisans,” a sure indicator of Pranjal’s hopes for the future of South Asian artistry.

An Oasis fan took to social media to blast a number of concertgoers who were sat down to watch the band perform as she states ‘this is who you lost your tickets to’

While many sang along with their hands in the air to the iconic songs of Oasis during the Cardiff leg of the band’s world tour, it seems not everyone was feeling the same spirit. And this was highlighted by a fan who raged on TikTok as she posted a video clip of a number of people sat down to watch the Gallagher brothers take to the stage for their reunion tour.

The clip taken on Saturday night, which was the second night of the tour, showed a portion of the Principality Stadium in Cardiff sat down while “blankly” looking at the main stage, which left the fan raging with anger.

The fan who has been named as Laura Bradshaw panned the crowd and captioned her clip saying: “Why is everyone sat down – this is who you lost tickets to btw. ” She accompanied the post with a crying emoji.

But her clip appeared divisive. Some fans responded to her post in agreement while others did not.

One person said: “why is no one singing! I wasn’t sat down. Stood up singing loud and proud as everyone should have been for the struggle it was to get tickets. “

Another wrote: “Real fans of oasis missed out so people can come and sit down at a concert. “

A third penned: “WHY IS IT SO QUIET. “

Meanwhile a few disagreed with her post. One said: “we were in seats on the left side and we all stood up for the entire gig! “

Another said: “Because they’re original fans and our backs are shot to pieces. “

A third person chimed in saying: “I would be seating too – appreciating and taking it all in. Standing and jumping about isn’t the only way to enjoy it. “

And a fourth added: “What are they meant to do, it’s difficult to dance to Cast no shadow. “

A fifth continued: “Because standing up at a gig has no bearing on my of how much of a fan you are? “

This comes after an Oasis went viral on social media after she was caught having to use the music app shazam to find out the name of “one of the greatest songs of all time.”

More than 75,000 looked on as Liam and Noel Gallagher appeared on stage for the first time in 16 years to kick start their reunion world tour.

Richard Ashcroft of The Verve opened for the band and sang the classic 1997 hit song Bitter Sweet Symphony. But one woman in the crowd had never heard of it.

In the clip that was shared on TikTok, the concertgoer opened up Shazam to find out the name of the song which Rolling Stone magazine name as one of the greatest of all time.

The fan who caught the moment on her phone, captioned the clip saying: “Imagine not knowing the greatest song of all time. “

On seeing the clip, many rushed to the social media platform to vent their fury.

One person said: “Seriously! I couldn’t get a ticket because of these people. “

Another said: “This is the people who got our tickets. “

A third added: “this is who i lost my tickets too. And there’s real fans from the 90’s that couldn’t get tickets’

And a fourth said: “nah there’s no way i lost tickets to someone shazaming one of the most popular songs of the britpop era. “

READ MORE: Oasis have released new tickets for UK tour – how to buy yours if you missed out

Spice Girl Mel B’s eldest daughter Phoenix Chi was pictured smoking what looks like a ‘suspicious looking cigarette’ outside the lavish hotel she’s staying at following wedding

All eyes were on Mel B when she tied the knot with her partner Rory McPhee in what has been described as something similar to that of a Royal wedding. But later that evening, the Spice Girls star’s eldest daughter Phoenix Chi Gulzar was spotted smoking what looks to be a suspicious-looking cigarette outside the reception venue.

Dressed in a pair of oversized jeans teamed with a black top and baseball cap turned backwards, Phoenix is seen holding the cigarette in her hand in full view of those around her.

The eldest child of the global superstar, who shared her special day with a number of high profile guests over the weekend, appears oblivious while standing outside the posh London hotel she is staying at following her mother’s nuptials. It remains unknown what is in the contents of the cigarette.

A source told The Mirror that Mel B’s children – Phoenix Chi Gulzar and Angel Iris Murphy Brown – were spotted with a third person in dressed-down clobber just hours after their mum tied the knot to Rory McPhee.

The source said: “They strolled further down the street — where they were seen sharing the roll-up and having a giggle, away from prying noses. “

The Mirror has reached out to Phoenix Brown’s representatives, while Mel B’s representatives have declined to comment.

This is a far cry from Phoenix’s demure appearance on the day of the wedding held at none other than St Paul’s Cathedral.

Dressed in a powder blue dress teamed with a fascinator, Phoenix stunned the waiting crowd and photographer as she made her way into the Cathedral, which is steeped in royal history.

In 1981, the late Princess Diana married Prince Charles at the same venue. Guests included model Cara Delevigne, Daisy Lowe, fellow Spice Girl Emma Bunton and comedian Alan Carr.

But two guests who were noticeably absent were Victoria Beckham and Geri Horner.

Victoria was unable to make it in person as she was out of the country but she was quick to take to social media to share her love for her former bandmate. Victoria, who was known as Posh Spice took to Instagram and shared a picture of them looking red carpet ready. And the caption read: “Sending love to you @officialmelb!” she added: “@rorymcphee is a very lucky man! xx.”

An insider told the MailOnline at the time: “Victoria has long standing plans out of the country and she simply can’t be there. She adores Mel, they get on really well despite their paths going in opposite directions. It’s a real shame. “

They added: “There is no issue between them, they haven’t fallen out. It’s just one of those things. “

However, the same cannot be said for Geri.

According to reports, Geri is still fuming after Mel confessed that she had a sexual relationship with Geri back in the nineties when the Spice Girls first started making waves.

Mel let slip their intimate moment while filming for Piers Morgan’s Life Stories in 2019.

Geri was left gobsmacked following Mel’s candid admission. The pair’s relationship does not appear to have recovered since then.

Brooklyn Beckham has posted a gushing tribute to his wife, Nicola Peltz, after a source told the Mirror he ‘felt he didn’t fit in’ with his famous footballing family

Brooklyn Beckham has posted another loving tribute to his wife, Nicola Peltz, as the bitter feud with his family rumbles on. The young couple, who married three years ago, reportedly left David Beckham ‘heartbroken’ when they swerved his 50th birthday in May – despite being in the UK at the time.

On Saturday, a source told the Mirror that the hot sauce enthusiast, 26, doesn’t feel like he ‘fits in’ with his famous family, ahead of his little sister Harper’s 14th birthday. And now, Brooklyn has declared he’s on Team Nicola again in his latest Instagram post in which he shares a snap of his wife larking about next to a pile of Louis Vuitton luggage with the caption: “My girl xx.”

READ MORE: Brooklyn Beckham feels he ‘doesn’t fit into family’ as Harper’s ‘heartbroken’ over rift

It comes after a source told us that Brooklyn probably wouldn’t be going to Harper’s 14th birthday next week because of the tension between his wife and his parents.

Claiming Victoria and David’s firstborn ‘didn’t want things to turn out this way’, they said: “He didn’t want it to turn out this way and he’s always been really close to all his siblings, but he is a married man now and his priorities have to lie somewhere else. “

Last month, Brooklyn publicly marked the five-year anniversary of his marriage proposal to Nicola, saying it was his “best decision ever”.

Our source said: “It’s becoming increasingly obvious that the former photographer’s loyalties don’t lie with his parents and siblings”, but adds that it isn’t surprising given he is now married.

They continued: “He just doesn’t feel his family have treated Nicola well and now that he’s grown so close to her family in the States, he doesn’t really feel like he fits into the Beckham family right now.

“If Harper’s wish is to have her brother at home for her big day, sadly, she’s probably going to be disappointed. ”

There’s been plenty of family affection flying around on the Beckhams’ social media channels, most recently when David paid tribute to Victoria on their wedding anniversary and tagged Brooklyn in the caption.

However, Brooklyn has, so far, stayed silent despite being very vocal on Instagram when it comes to Nicola’s billionaire family.

In posts, which some have said are twisting the knife, Brooklyn has wished both his brother-in-law and father-in-law Happy Birthday recently despite snubbing his own dad’s milestone.

He also fuelled the feud rumours by posing for a new photoshoot for Italian brand, Moncler, which was shot in London in May just two miles from the Beckham’s family home in Notting Hill – and only one mile away from David, who was at the Chelsea Flower Show at the time.

READ MORE: Kickers’ ‘durable’ Back to School shoe range that ‘last all year’

Harvey Price, 23, who has complex needs, has been raised by his mother Katie Price and is now moving into independent living after the local authority cut his college funding

Katie Price often divides opinion, but everyone can agree that she is a devoted mother to her eldest son Harvey, who regularly features on her social media accounts.

Harvey, 23, has Septo-optic Dysplasia, autism and Prader-Willi syndrome, which means he needs round-the-clock care.

Katie, 47, recently revealed she was forced to withdraw her son from a £350,000-a-year college after the local authority cut his funding, deeming he had “no healthcare issues”. Now, Harvey is going “into the real world,” the former glamour model said.

Speaking on the Katie Price Show podcast, the mum explained: “Harvey is doing the countdown for his new place. He’s got his leavers ceremony where they give out certificates and then it’s the ‘real world’ Mr Harvey Price. “

The reality star has always been open about the difficulties of caring for her disabled son, who has complex needs. But little is said about Harvey’s biological father.

READ MORE: Katie Price heartbroken after ‘sad and angry’ Harvey Price sends her a text

The mum-of-five has admitted, however, that former international and Premier League footballer Dwight Yorke, 53, doesn’t maintain contact with her eldest child.

Katie got pregnant when she was briefly dating Dwight; their relationship was short-lived when she allegedly discovered Dwight had cheated. The model once told how she was on a lingerie photoshoot when she heard that the sportsman had been partying with other women.

During a 2009 interview, Dwight addressed the allegations, admitting he wasn’t the ‘perfect partner’. “I think anyone who’s in a relationship would like their partner to be faithful and I’m saying I wasn’t the perfect partner, she knows that,” he said.

The two warring exes endured a rocky relationship throughout the rest of her pregnancy, with Dwight denying paternity until a DNA test proved otherwise. The footballer did turn up to the hospital to visit his son, and also put his name on the birth certificate while trying to insist that Harvey should take his surname.

However, his visits with his son became few and far between, with Dwight admitting: “It is a combination of different things, one my time schedule and being based up in Manchester and a footballer on an everyday basis.

“Not sitting here and say I’m a total perfect father, I’ve made mistakes along the way and I would love to turn the clock back. “

But in his own book published the same year, Born To Score, he painted a very different picture of his feelings towards his son.

“From the moment I set eyes on the little fella, I have loved my son like I could never ever have imagined possible,” he wrote. “I am not going to hear anymore that I did not care for Harvey, or have any understanding of his needs or that I was not interested in his welfare.

“Over the years I have heard Katie saying how [Peter] Andre is Harvey’s dad and what a terrible, uncaring father I have been, all of which sticks in my throat. Maybe if she had not made life so difficult for me, might have been able to take a far more proactive role. “

At the time, Katie’s then-husband Peter Andre wanted to adopt Harvey, but Dwight was furious and wrote that he wanted to “throttle” him.

But five years later, Katie claimed that Dwight had no relationship with Harvey. She wrote in her 2014 autobiography: “The last time Harvey’s biological father Dwight Yorke saw him, which was around eight years ago, the first thing he asked was why was Harvey so big. Why was I overfeeding him?

“I’d explained Harvey’s condition to Dwight many times, but he refused to understand it and kept going on about him being fat. It’s sad that he’s unable to accept Harvey for who he is and seems unable or unwilling to work within his limitations. On that occasion, I think Dwight wanted to blame someone for the fact that his son is disabled.

“I have always said that if Dwight could see what a courageous and talented boy Harvey is then he would enjoy being with him so much. ” Katie claimed she has made multiple attempts to reach out to Dwight over the years, insisting it’s “never too late” to be in their son’s life.

In November 2018, Katie shared a series of baby pics as she acknowledged the struggle of bringing up a child with complex needs – and told Dwight the “door is always open”. Katie made a more desperate plea to her ex in December 2019, claiming Harvey “didn’t deserve it” as she shared a heartbreaking video of her son asking for his dad.

When asked who he would want to write a message to on Instagram by Katie, Harvey replied: “Daddy Dwight.” “I love you Daddy Dwight. You look beautiful,” added Harvey when asked what he would say.

Katie then wrote to her two million followers in the caption: “Anyone who knows @Officialdwightyorke19 please get him to contact his son Harvey doesn’t deserve this, he sees his other son Tiger so I don’t understand! He does charity work for different kids charity yet doesn’t see or support his own son. I don’t get it! “

In 2020, Katie revealed drastic plans to introduce Harvey to Dwight after supposed years of no contact. Chatting with pal Mel, Katie said: “What I would like to do is turn up at his dad’s place – Dwight Yorke’s – ring the doorbell and be there with Harvey, for him to see Harvey. That’s what I would like to do and I will do that. I think Dwight should start entering Harvey’s life, it’s been years. “

Accusing Dwight of having not seen his son since he was four, Katie added: “I would love Dwight to come into contact with Harvey. How can you not want to know Harv? He’s so funny. “

In 2021, Katie revealed in her book that Dwight had actually spoken to Harvey over the phone on his tenth birthday – and she was “shocked” that it happened. “But I think Dwight was even more shocked when Harvey asked him, ‘When am I seeing you? ‘,” she said.

Katie said the last time she saw Dwight was when she met up with him at a restaurant in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, in 2012. They spoke about what Harvey had said on the phone, then Dwight told her he didn’t want to be in Harvey’s life.

“Even after he said that, I was still trying to be persistent. I wanted Harvey to have his dad in his life, but he just wasn’t interested in any of it,” Katie explained. “This isn’t about me. This is your son and your flesh and blood. But he just didn’t give a s**t.

“There’s only so much you can try before you realise you’re flogging a dead horse. I got up and left and that’s the last time I saw him. I haven’t heard from him since. “

Despite Dwight not stepping up, it was revealed by Harvey’s maternal grandmother, Amy Price, that his agent has enquired about his son numerous times. In Katie’s 2021 book, Amy said: “I think it’s sad that Dwight isn’t in Harvey’s life. His agent has always been in contact with me.

“If Harvey isn’t well, she’ll message me and ask how he is. But Dwight never asks himself.” The year prior, Harvey was hospitalised and was really poorly in intensive care, and Dwight’s agent rang Amy to ask “how bad he was”.

“I said, ‘Look, this has got to stop now. If Dwight wants to know about Harvey, he’s got our number and he should ring us himself’,” Amy wrote. “He shouldn’t be going through his agent. It’s about time he took some responsibility. But we’ve heard nothing from Dwight, which is a shame.

The Chase star Darragh Ennis, also known as The Menace, has shared a ‘genius’ trick to help you fall asleep quickly and get a better night’s rest – and it’s super easy to do

Tweaking just a single element of your nightly routine could revolutionise your sleep, according to The Chase star Darragh Ennis. Known to viewers as The Menace on the popular ITV quiz show, Darragh is also a neuroscientist and has penned a book delving into the wonders of the human body titled ‘The Body: 10 Things You Should Know’.

In his most recent TikTok video, Darragh explains why so many of us find it tough to nod off at night and shares a foolproof tip for ensuring a peaceful sleep. It turns out there’s only one small change we need to make to our bedtime ritual.

Darragh points out that pre-sleep scrolling on smartphones can be detrimental to our ability to fall asleep due to the way our brains respond to the light emitted by these devices.

He explained: “Did you ever wonder why it is that looking at your phone at night can make it hard to go to sleep? It’s all to do with light. Backlit screens emit a lot of light, and we’ve evolved to be active during the day. “

He continued: “Our bodies tend to get tired when it’s dark outside. Our brain does this by using signals from our eyes about how much light there is, but also what colour light we see. If we take in blue light, a lot of which comes from backlit screens, the production of the hormone melatonin decreases. Melatonin is one of the key things that helps make us sleepy. “

Many modern phones and gadgets now come with blue light filter options that can be set to kick in at certain times, aimed at blocking blue light to ease eye strain in the evenings. However, Darragh points out that these settings might not be as helpful for sleep as one might hope.

He shared: “The blue light filters and things don’t seem to have much impact either. Lots of studies have shown this because [with] other parts of the light spectrum, particularly yellow light, our brain thinks that it is coming from midday sunlight. This also stops us from getting sleepy. “

For those struggling with nocturnal restlessness and looking for a simple fix, Darragh recommends ditching your phone before bed.

His advice: “If you really want to get better sleep, it has been shown that the best thing you can do is not look at a backlit screen at all. If you want to read or anything, it’s better to put your phone down and read a book. “

How to sleep better

The NHS’ Every Mind Matters campaign offers several tips to help you fall asleep faster and enjoy a more restful sleep. Their guidance includes:.

1. Establish a consistent sleep routine

Creating a regular sleep pattern can greatly enhance sleep quality. Often referred to as sleep hygiene, a solid sleep routine should involve setting specific times for winding down and going to bed, as well as waking up consistently each day.

2. Relax and try meditation for better sleep

Steer clear of electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime, as mobiles, tablets and computers emit blue light that hinders sleep. If you struggle to drift off, reading, listening to calming music or a podcast, or practising sleep meditation can all be beneficial.

3. Give mindfulness a go for improved sleep

Anxiety, worry and stress can all impact the quality of our sleep. Fortunately, there are daily practices you can adopt to manage your worries, such as confiding in someone you trust or jotting down your concerns in a notebook.

If you frequently find yourself lying awake with worries, allocate some time before bed to compile a to-do list for the following day – this can be an effective way to ease your mind.

4. Cultivate the ideal sleep environment

Generally, it’s easier to fall asleep in a quiet, dark, and cool setting, but the perfect sleep environment is subjective. So, experiment with different conditions to see what suits you best.

You might discover that wearing earplugs and silencing your phone helps you eliminate distractions and fall asleep quicker.

Good-quality curtains or blinds can keep a room dark and prevent unwanted light from clocks or phones by keeping them out of sight or face-down. Some people also find it helpful to play sleep-inducing music, such as ambient sounds like rainfall, soothing tunes or white noise.

5. Avoid forcing sleep

If you find yourself wide awake, struggling to drift off, don’t force it. If you’re weary and relishing the rest, sleep might naturally ensue.

However, if sleep eludes you, rise and settle in a cosy spot to engage in a calming activity such as reading or listening to soothing music.

6. Enhance sleep with proper diet and exercise

Maintaining a balanced diet and engaging in regular physical activity can aid relaxation and improve sleep quality. Refrain from consuming large meals before hitting the sack, and aim to eliminate caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine prior to bedtime.

The general guideline is to steer clear of stimulants 1 to 2 hours before retiring for the night.