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.

The shoe manufacturer claimed its sandals “are copyright-protected works of applied art" that may not simply be imitated. Under German law, works of art enjoy stronger and longer-last intellectual property protections than ordinary consumer products.