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.

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

But a German court may have just set a precedent on whether such work can be legally protected. This week, the court ruled ...

Can Birkenstock sandals be ‘work of art’? German court says no - The shoe manufacturer claimed its sandals ‘are ...