NEWS


Birkenstock caught up in ongoing legal battles


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irkenstock has been embroiled in recent legal battles within the footwear industry. Last month, the brand was


denied copyright protection for its Arizona and Gizeh sandals – as decided by the Cologne Higher Regional Court. Back in 2023, shoe.com GmbH & Co. KG, part


of the Wortmann Group, was prohibited from selling two of its own sandal models which allegedly infringed Birkenstock’s copyrights. The brand attempted to obtain copyright protection in Germany for its signature cork- soled sandals as “works of applied art”. However, the Court has now rejected any claims to copyright protection, saying that the alleged copyrights had not been sufficiently explained and proven. The court said: “A ‘work of applied art’ requires an element of originality that not only demonstrates the


Crocs brand ‘exceeded expectations’ in Q4 as sales jump 4%


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rocs has announced its Q4 2024 financial results –


where it saw sales jump up by four per cent to $762 million (£605 million). These results reflected a five per cent increase in direct-to- consumer to $447 million and a 2.7 increase in wholesale to $315 million in the period. Overall for Crocs Inc, the company said it


delivered “another record year”, highlighted by revenue growth of four per cent to $4.1 billion, generating exceptional operating


4 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • MARCH 2025


setting of a trend or perfect craftsmanship, but also the individuality of the creator.” Jens Beining, CEO of Wortmann Schuh- Holding KG, said: “This decision strengthens the industry and confirms, once again, that it pays to be resolute and stand up for yourself. With today’s judgement, not only does the Wortmann Group win, but the entire shoe and fashion industry.” Elsewhere, Italian shoe manufacturer


Rafting Goldstar has also won an ongoing legal dispute against Birkenstock before the French Court of Appeal. In 2015, Birkenstock sued Rafting Goldstar


for allegedly counterfeiting its trademark, specifically the design of its sandal sole. Then in 2018, the European Court of Justice declared the trademark lacking distinctiveness, rejecting the attempt to


cash flow of approximately $990 million, an increase of 3.1 per cent from $960.1 million the same time last year. Revenues for the HEYDUDE brand in Q4


were flat against the same time last year at $228 million. As for the full fiscal 2024 by brand, Crocs


revenues grew 8.8 per cent to $3.3 billion, reflecting a 9.9 per cent increase in direct- to-consumer to $1.7 billion and a 7.6 per cent rise in wholesale to $1.6 billion. Revenues for the HEYDUDE brand for fiscal


2024 dropped 13.2 per cent to $824 million. Overall, the company reported consolidated


revenues of $4.10 billion, an increase of 3.5 per cent from $3.96 billion in fiscal 2023.


Above: Goldstar Calzatura Sandal


register the sole design as a trademark. Birkenstock, unsatisfied, continued pursuing legal actions against Goldstar. The German Federal Court and the Paris


Court of Appeal have since ruled in favour of Rafting Goldstar, declaring the attempt to register the sole design as a trademark null.


Nike revenues drop in first quarter under new CEO


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ike has reported a nine per cent drop in third-quarter sales for fiscal 2025; total sales amounted


to £9.1bn ($11.3bn), down from £10.1bn ($12.4bn) last year. Industry experts said these latest figures mark a continuation of the sportswear brand’s struggles. The company’s performance was largely driven by a weak performance in its core footwear and apparel segments, which saw a nine per cent and three per cent drop respectively. In addition, Nike’s global brand divisions, including Converse, also reported a combined 18 per cent drop in sales, as it faces slow consumer demand and declines across key markets. Regionally, EMEA (Europe, the Middle


East, and Africa) was one of the hardest hit, seeing a 10 per cent drop in revenue against the same period last year; of this, the brand’s footwear sales also dropped 11 per cent. This is the first quarter of results under


CEO, Elliott Hill, who took over the role in October last year. He said: “Nike is focused on navigating through these turbulent times while looking to restore growth.”


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