No matter how comfy or stylish they are, you can’t legally claim that Birkenstocks are works of art.
That’s thanks to a new ruling by Germany’s Federal Court of Justice, which, according to The Guardian, shot down the shoe company’s claim that their famed sandals should enjoy the same legal rights as movies, music and paintings.
As for how this all came up, Birkenstock took legal action to classify the shoes as art in an effort to grant them copyright protections against other companies selling similar footwear.
However, the court ruled that “For copyright protection to apply, there must be such a degree of design that the product displays some individuality” beyond simply “pure craftsmanship using formal design elements.”
If you want to wear art on your feet, maybe try stepping in some paint.