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Can sandals be art? Birkenstock says yes, but a German court says no

  • A German court ruled that Birkenstock sandals do not qualify as works of art and therefore cannot be protected by copyright laws, according to presiding judge Thomas Koch.
  • Birkenstock claimed its footwear design should be protected due to popularity, but the court stated that shoes serve a practical purpose.
  • The Federal Court of Justice confirmed an appeals court's decision, stating that practical design items do not qualify for copyright protection.
  • Under German law, for a product to be copyright-protected, it must show a certain level of individual creativity, which the court determined Birkenstock sandals lacked.
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CNNCNN
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Associated Press NewsAssociated Press News
+6 Other sources

Can sandals be art? Birkenstock says yes, but a German court says no

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.

·Atlanta, United States
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The IndependentThe Independent

Can Birkenstock sandals be ‘work of art’? Court says no

The shoe manufacturer claimed its sandals ‘are copyright-protected works of applied art’

·London, United Kingdom
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Politico EuropePolitico Europe

Birkenstock sandals not ‘works of art,’ German court says in denying copyright bid

Federal Court of Justice rules Birkenstock is not entitled to damages from cut-price imitators of its footwear.

·Brussels, Belgium
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DeutschlandfunkDeutschlandfunk

Bundesgerichtshof - Birkenstock-Sandalen are not works of applied art

The Bundesgerichtshof dismissed a lawsuit by the sandal manufacturer Birkenstock, who wanted to protect several models as works of art by copyright.

·Germany
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ilgiornale.itilgiornale.it

No copyright for Birkenstock sandals, slip on Wall Street

The German Federal Court has rejected the German manufacturer's request, his iconic sandals cannot be considered a work of art.

·Italy
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BBC NewsBBC News

Birkenstock sandals are not art, says German court

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

·United Kingdom
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nd-aktuell.de broke the news in on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
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