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

The firm wanted to claim protection under copyright law, to stop rivals selling copycat versions of its shoes.

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.