By Oliver Ohmann
“08/15 is not a dress code” – a self-confident slogan from Brummer. The tailor and men’s outfitter can be found at Tauentzien, a textile trading tradition for over 100 years.
Gerd Seehafer is the third generation to run Brummer. The 65-year-old greets customers dressed impeccably. Not too formal, not too casual, always with style. Do only the super rich get into business? “No,” emphasizes the boss. “We stand for the best quality at a reasonable price.”
The fine thread is the classic in the range Photo: Ralf Guenther
The Brummer story began in 1920. “It started with women’s fashion,” says Gerd Seehafer. “The daughter of the Berlin Commerce Councilor Brummer wanted to do something with fashion. So the first shop was founded on Leipziger Strasse, which was the best address at the time.” Brummer soon also offered the best British tweed fabrics and ran the famous “Burberry” brand in Berlin; many diplomats were among its customers.
“After my grandfather Gustav Seehafer took over Brummer, branches were added in the important shopping streets, from Karl-Marx-Straße to Wilmersdorfer. “You used to have a huge selection at Kudamm and Tauentzien if you wanted to buy a better suit. Everything disappeared,” says Seehafer. “I still have my father’s old address book; the many manufacturers in it are all gone too.”
Well sorted: hats, bags, shirts, suits, jackets Photo: Ralf Guenther
Brummer doesn’t attract walk-in customers. Those who come usually come on a recommendation and have to bring a little time with them. “It takes around five weeks from the first measurement to the finished suit,” explains junior boss Bea Seehafer (36).
The fine thread is not made in India or China, but in European factories. “A tailored suit is not just a piece of fabric. “It’s a bit of a personal attitude,” emphasizes Gerd Seehafer. How are Berliners doing when it comes to fashion? Seehafer shakes his head: “Not so good, to put it flatteringly. Sweatpants and flip-flops on the street, that’s really not possible.”
The branch during West Berlin times. The tram still ran here until the early 1960s Photo: Ralf Guenther
He opens a newspaper and guesses a famous German statesman standing next to King Charles. “Look at the pants! Impossible. Who advises this man?”
Brummer continues to grow, even in its 103rd business year. The Seehafer family only has one major concern: “If the Tauentzien becomes a pedestrian zone at some point, then everything will be over.”