DM: Mr. Bezner, your business was founded in 1951 by your grandfather Eugen Bezner. Today, according to the market research institute GfK, it’s the German market leader in men’s dress shirts. How did the idea for the business originate?
Mark Bezner: Olymp is a typical child of the post-war German economic boom. With only six employees, my grandfather began producing men’s dress shirts in the living room and the laundry of his humble home in Bietigheim. At first, they were made of left-over military fabrics or more delicate parachute silks. His goal was to create the name “OLYMP” for his brand – it was a nod to the Greek Mount Olympus. The name should embody the same meaning in the dress shirt market – as a home for the Gods which towers above all else.
DM: Olymp has an export quota of 35 percent and is represented in over 40 countries worldwide. In what countries are you particularly active?
MB: Outside of our headquarters in Germany, our distribution networks are particularly focused on western export markets such as Belgium, France, the UK, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, and Switzerland, but also in Scandinavia and in eastern European countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Russia. In the past years, we’ve also launched a dress shirt expansion in Thailand, thus developing our Southeast Asian distribution.
DM: Your headquarters in Bietigheim-Bissingen, 20 kilometres north of Stuttgart, in addition to your distribution centres in Germany and Austria, employ over 850 employees. What makes your business special?
MB: Olymp represents uncompromising quality with regard to materials and finishing, outstanding wear and care advantages, an excellent value for money – and, of course, an impressive stylish testimony to its products. Since we’ve focused our efforts on a couple of key aspects when it comes to men’s dress shirts, we’re considered a renowned product specialist who’s fortunate enough to have a narrow but deep product portfolio that has been precisely developed and manufactured, which allows us to positively distinguish ourselves from the competition. This has been regularly confirmed for the past century by the thousands of happy trading partners and the millions of devoted end consumers.
Apart from the strength of our selection, we also have an excellent and dedicated team, a tight group that identifies highly with our company and its products. By growing its brand recognition, Olymp has become a very coveted place of employment that is able to give its employers opportunities for future growth.
DM: Olymp’s production palette encompasses exclusive men’s shirts for business and leisure, as well as pullovers, sweatshirts, knitwear, ties, polos, and t-shirts. What is your current bestseller?
MB: Our non-iron and wrinkle-free shirt line “OLYMP Luxor,” which is made out of 100 percent cotton, has been in particularly high demand. Furthermore, our younger product segments such as the “OLYMP Level Five body fit” or the “OLYMP No. Six super slim” are also gaining popularity. We’re also dedicating more time to the growing “casual” trend by focusing more on our leisure time products. With our new premium shirt “OLYMP SIGNATURE” we recently also entered the unexplored terrains of the premium segments of the market. The uniqueness of Olymp Signature lies in the exclusive use of exquisite materials in conjunction with time-consuming processing methods. For example, mainly high-quality full-twill (two-ply) fabric is used, which is also equipped with the usual OLYMP easy-iron and easy-care properties. In addition, the shirts are finished with the finest handmade lap seams, removable collar stiffeners and genuine mother-of-pearl buttons, which are sewn on using a fine crow’s-foot stitch and finally shanked for stability. All in the time-honoured Neapolitan tradition.
The tailored-fit form offers a differentiated range of sizes, with each size cut and styled to individual dimensions. As a result, each shirt fits the wearer’s figure perfectly, as if tailor-made. The neckline sits a little lower than usual in the vicinity of the top button, offering tangibly increased comfort, with or without a tie. The buttons on the cuffs are deliberately positioned closer to the sleeves, enabling the cuffs to adapt freely to arm movements. Within this context we are proud of working together with the Scottish actor Gerard Butler, who has achieved global popularity through films such as London Has Fallen, Gods of Egypt, or Olympus Has Fallen. Though our collaboration we have been able to secure for the first time an internationally renowned and beloved celebrity as a brand ambassador for our family business.
With Gerard Butler’s personality and the magnetic power of Hollywood, we want to make our mark in the shirt business, and I think we’ve managed to do it. Gerard Butler has exactly the stature, style, and energy for Olymp Signature, and he embodies the brand’s values and the new product perfectly. Basically, he’s the ideal person for this role.
DM: Olymp is highly supportive of athletic, social, and cultural endeavours. Apart from being the main sponsor for the local league SG BBM Bietigheim (for handball) and the SC Bietigheim-Bissingen Steelers (ice hockey), Olymp has also become the official partner of Borussia Dortmund since the beginning of the 2015/2016 Bundesliga season. Why is this connection to athletics so important to you?
MB: As a former competitive swimmer I am very passionate about sports. Therefore athletic support is not only important from a promotional perspective, but it’s also a passion for me to be able to support regional athletes in particular.
DM: The Olymp-Bezner-Stiftung has been supporting the education and health of children and teenagers all over the world for years by financing day care centres, dormitories, and clinics. What projects are you particularly passionate about?
MB: The Olymp-Bezner-Stiftung, a charitable foundation, which was founded in 2008 and outfitted with a starting capital of one million euro, has been successful in implementing its projects in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, and abroad All projects are equally important to us, regardless of whether it’s constructing a new school in Haiti, a handicapped home in Vietnam, an educational centre in Indonesia, or a family centre in Ludwigsburg.
DM: In early June, Olymp was awarded the “Product Brand of the Year” and the “Brand Creation – Point of Sales” prizes from the German Brand Award 2018, which was held in the Römischer Hof in Berlin. What importance do these awards have for you?
MB: We are naturally very proud and happy of any kind of recognition, since they’re both a validation of our work and a motivation to keep going.
DM: What plans do you have for the future of your company?
MB: Despite a difficult market environment, we have managed to positively and consistently develop our brand. In the past ten years, we’ve managed to increase our revenue by two and a half time, up to 260 million euros. Our primary goal is therefore to continue this joyous business trajectory. In the face of the many opportunities that arise both in the assortment and in our distribution policies, we still see a lot of potential for Olymp.
DM: Mr. Bezner, thank you for the interview.
INTERVIEW Markus Feller