A German court rejected the sandal company’s effort to copyright four slip-on styles. Birkenstock officials say copyrighting the styles would thwart cheaper imitations by other brands. The federal court ruled Birkenstocks do not have enough individuality to qualify as applied art.

Birkenstock sandals are ubiquitous in summer. But can the well-known footwear be considered art? That’s the question Germany’s Federal Court of Justice had to wrestle with on Thursday.

Birkenstock sandals, which have evolved from a symbol of counterculture to a trendy fashion item, do not qualify as art and are therefore not protected by copyright, Germany's highest civil court ruled on Thursday.

Can Birkenstock sandals be considered art? That's what Germany's Federal Court of Justice had to decide on Thursday, and it ruled they're just comfy footwear.

Birkenstocks are cool enough for influencers, Hollywood stars and even Barbie — but they do not qualify as art, Germany’s top court ruled Thursday. The company claimed that their shoes can be classified as art and therefore are protected by copyright laws.

Birkenstock sandals are ubiquitous in summer. But can the well-known footwear be considered art? That’s the question Germany’s Federal Court of Justice had to wrestle with on Thursday.

In a lawsuit, Birkenstock aimed to combat knockoffs, but the court determined the German footwear does not meet the definition of “applied art.”

A German court is putting its foot down. Birkenstocks are not art. Birkenstocks are cool enough for influencers, Hollywood stars and even Barbie — but they do not qualify as art, Germany’s top court ruled Thursday. The company claimed that their shoes can be classified as art and therefore are protected by copyright laws.

On Thursday, the federal court of justice in Karlsruhe, Germany, ruled that Birkenstocks were not “copyrighted works of applied art,” making it harder for the 251-year-old German shoemaker to combat the widespread sale of duplicates of its sandals across the internet.

A German court ruling has found that the famous Birkenstock shoe does not meet the legal definition of "applied art," ending a legal battle.

Celebrities have long embraced Birkenstock sandals, with stars like Katie Holmes, Gigi Hadid, and Reese Witherspoon often seen wearing the iconic summer footwear. The brand’s reputation for quality, comfort,

(CNN)– Birkenstocks are not art, they are just shoes. A German court rejected the sandal company’s effort to copyright four slip-on styles. Birkenstock officials say copyrighting the styles would thwart cheaper imitations by other brands. The federal court ruled Birkenstocks do not have enough individuality to qualify as applied art.