Can the well-known footwear be considered art? That’s the question Germany’s Federal Court of Justice had to wrestle with.

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,

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