About us

The story of Blue Seven began in the 1920s within the serene town of Ried, nestled amidst a tranquil nature reserve, where the Obermeyer family laid the cornerstone of their business. For over 90 years, Blue Seven has remained committed to delighting our customers with top-notch fashion, priced affordably, while drawing inspiration from the latest trends, both on a national and international level.

In the tranquil Bavarian village near the Austrian border, Mina Obermeyer, an immigrant from East Prussia, keenly observed the rising demand for fabrics, haberdashery, and clothing. She recognized this as an opportunity to contribute to her family’s income. Her enthusiasm and innate understanding for evolving fashion trends would prove to be a winning combination.

Originally established in 1924 as a small retail shop specializing in sporting goods, haberdashery, and fashionable everyday attire, the business continued to evolve. Just a few years later, Mina, along with her husband Fritz H. Obermeyer and their two sons, Klaus and Heinrich, relocated to a larger residence in Kalzhofen near Oberstaufen.

Upon moving to Oberstaufen, the Obermeyer family used a large space within their private estate to serve as a salesroom. The 300-year-old family house remains in the family’s possession. It has since been repurposed and now serves as an office building for Blue Seven.

The decision to move to Oberstaufen in the 1930s proved valuable, as the town’s increasing popularity among tourists resulted in a boost in revenue.

Very harsh and tough times followed for the family during World War II. Mina Obermeyer was Jewish and married to the painter Fritz Obermeyer, who was considered an “Aryan”, according to the Nuremberg Race Laws. While Fritz Obermeyer’s background meant that Mina and her two sons would not be deported and sent to an extermination camp, the business was closed by the National Socialists. For the time being, her husband Fritz was also no longer allowed to pursue his profession as a painter. Despite the circumstances, the Obermeyer family was able to secure their livelihood through a modest farm in their possession.

In the years following the war, the Obermeyer family and their business experienced a significant upturn. Mina and Fritz’s sons came of age and gained their first experiences in the business world.

After graduating as an aircraft engineer, Klaus Obermeyer decided to expatriate to the United States at the age of 27, where he worked for his friend, and former ski racer Friedl Pfeiffer, as a ski instructor. This experience in winter sports eventually resulted in Klaus founding Sport Obermeyer in 1947.

Whilst Klaus demonstrated his skills and talent for winter fashion in the United States, Heinrich’s interest in the family company grew stronger. He supported his mother with the day-to-day business. Eventually Heinrich saw an opportunity in the market and convinced his mother that the time had come to evolve the company and innovate. Through their successful cooperation and the development of a new, dynamic, future-oriented business policy, they made an undeniable name for themselves in the industry.

In 1949, Heinrich finally took over the family business and married his long-time confidante Cilly Kirchmann in 1958.From the very beginning Cilly shared her husband’s enthusiasm for the fashion industry. Over the coming years, the retail business in Oberstaufen developed into a chain of retail shops with around 27 locations in the region of Allgäu, Lake Constance, and the Black Forest. The company’s production took place in the Swabian Alb, in Italy, in Turkey, in Greece, and from the late 1960s onwards, also in India and Hong Kong.

In the 1970s, the Blue Seven label was finally introduced, exclusively for professional retailers. The 70s were a time of further development and new ideas. A new company, Obermeyer und Burger Textilhandelsgesellschaft mbH, emerged fromHeinrich’s long standing professional and personal relationship with Otto Burger, an Austrian businessman. This subsidiary served as a general distributor for the Austrian market. In the following decade, the H. Obermeyer & Co.Group developed into a household name in Germany. In addition, the company transformed itself into an internationally operating import enterprise in the clothing segment with global business connections stretching from Europe to Asia and beyond. In 1984, Cilly and Heinrich Obermeyer decided to sell the retail chain to a long-time business friend to focus on the more prosperous import and export business, which brought extraordinary success to the family.

In 1987, Michael Obermeyer, the grandson of the company’s founder, Mina Obermeyer, took on the role of Chief Executive Officer, marking the continuation of the business into its third generation. During this time, a significant portion of the production shifted from Europe to Asia, where quality control offices were established.

Committed to adhering to regulations that improve social standards in the global value chain, Michael Obermeyer introduced various compliance measures such as the amfori Business Social Compliance Initiative and the International Accord. This era also brought forward large investments in the company’s national and international facilities, including additional warehouses and office buildings and multiple new showrooms across Europe. Furthermore, the subsidiary, Fashion Highlight, in Hong Kong was founded to manage the quality control offices in Asia. Additionally, the design department in Oberstaufen was expanded.

In the late 1990s, Andreas Burger, Otto Burger’s son assumed the role of International Sales Manager at Blue Seven. Prior to this, he had completed his bachelor’s degree in International Trade & Marketing for the Fashion Industry at FIT in New York and had gained valuable industry experience at Barney’s New York.Throughout the years, the collaboration between the younger generation proved highly successful, leading to Andreas becoming an affiliated shareholder and Chief Executive Officer in 2011.

A new era began for the company, when Andreas Burger, the long-standing minority shareholder, and Chief Executive Officer of H. Obermeyer GmbH & Co. KG, took over all the shares, as part of an internal succession plan on February 1, 2022, ensuring the enduring success of the Blue Seven brand. This transition in ownership is marked by deep rooted family bonds and a long standing professional and personal relationship, guaranteeing the prosperous continuation of the esteemed family business, H. Obermeyer GmbH & Co. KG.