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From a Small Laundry Room to an International Fashion Brand OLYMP's history begins in 1951 in Bietigheim, a town near Stuttgart, Germany. Its founder, Eugen Bezner, started making men's shirts with just six employees, working from the laundry room of his home. In postwar Germany, materials were not always easy to obtain, so the company's earliest shirts were made using available military fabrics and even parachute silk. Bezner wanted to produce exceptionally well-made shirts. He chose the name OLYMP, inspired by Mount Olympus, to represent his ambition for the company. What began as a small operation gradually developed into a family business with international reach. After Eugen’s death in 1960, his 24-year-old son, Eberhard Bezner, took over the company. Under his leadership, OLYMP expanded its production and developed the products that would establish its reputation. The next generation followed when Mark Bezner, Eugen's grandson, joined the business in 1990. He became a member of the management board in 1995 and eventually assumed leadership of the company. Today, OLYMP remains headquartered in Bietigheim-Bissingen. According to its published company figures, it has approximately 860 employees across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, more than 3,000 points of sale throughout Europe, and over 50 branded stores in those three countries. The company also has a significant international business, with exports accounting for approximately 35 percent of its operations. For a brand that started in a laundry room, that's quite an evolution. What Makes OLYMP Clothing Different? If there's one product that helped establish OLYMP's reputation, it's the dress shirt.