Klaus Obermeyer: Mountain Mogul

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF KLAUS OBERMEYER Words by Aaron Rasmussen If skiing is a tonic for the soul, Klaus Obermeyer may be its most persuasive proof. “The longer you ski, the longer you live,” he says, and he should know—this December, the legendary mountaineer celebrated his 105th birthday. For Obermeyer, skiing is no mere pastime. It’s a way of life, one that inspired him to build the global empire that bears his name.  Obermeyer’s love affair with skiing began in 1922, when he was three years old. Using makeshift skis cobbled together from crates, he would glide around his family’s property in snow-blanketed Bavaria, in the German Alps. Though he went on to ski competitively in his youth, Obermeyer’s life took a dramatic detour as the Nazis rose to power. He knew he had to leave his homeland behind. Attempting to escape on skis, Obermeyer’s plan nearly ended in tragedy when SS officers opened fire and he was wounded. At the hospital, medical staff treated his injuries and then courageously helped him evade the Gestapo. Eventually, Obermeyer made his way to America, embarking on a journey that took him from New York City to Sun Valley, Idaho, and ultimately to Aspen, Colorado. In the late 1940s, he quickly found his place in the sleepy Rocky Mountain hamlet, landing a job giving ski lessons at the Fred Iselin Ski School, where he instructed eager students—including none other than actor Gary Cooper. But there was another star in the making that Obermeyer came to know intimately: Aspen itself. Over the decades, he would witness—and help—the area evolve from a near-abandoned mining town into a glamorous playground for jet-setters on the global social circuit, a high-altitude Hollywood where après-ski became as essential as the slopes. Aspen “started little,” he recalls, noting that when he first arrived almost 80 years ago, it was practically a ghost town where homes were selling for as little as $300 as workers left the area in search of more lucrative opportunities. Back then, overpaying for parking wasn’t a problem either. Obermeyer recalls he and other powder hounds would leave their vehicles at the Hotel Jerome all winter, only returning to retrieve them after the snow melted at the end of the season.  Obermeyer’s contributions to skiing didn’t stop with teaching. A natural and skilled inventor with a knack for innovation, he single-handedly revolutionized the sport several times over with his groundbreaking products. “We saw an opportunity to make the skiing life a better one for the skiers in America who came to Aspen a long time ago,” he says. “That’s how our business started: by making things that worked better and solved problems for people.” In the early 1960s, with the help of his wife, Nome—Katherine Hepburn’s niece—he created a catalog showcasing his designs. This laid the foundation for Obermeyer, a brand that grew in tandem with Aspen and the burgeoning skiing culture.   While many companies manage to thrive on one or two innovative products, Obermeyer dreamed up at least a dozen. Among his many inventions are mirrored sunglasses for the slopes, high-altitude sunscreen, double-walled ski boots, and tapered aluminum ski poles. Perhaps his most iconic creation, the ski parka, has humble beginnings: Obermeyer repurposed a down comforter his mother had gifted him, stitching it into a coat—a practical solution to Aspen’s bone-chilling winters. For Obermeyer, invention wasn’t about profit but passion. “We didn’t start Obermeyer to get rich,” he insists. “We started it because we love skiing.” That love has propelled him through decades of change. As his business empire grew, Obermeyer witnessed firsthand the evolution of skiing culture in Aspen and around the world. From the chic fashionistas storming the slopes in the 1960s, to the scrappy counterculture ski bums of the ‘70s, and the high-tech adventurers wrapped in innovative waterproof, breathable fabrics in the 1980s and beyond, Obermeyer has not only adapted but led the charge. “Our aim was to keep making life better in the mountains,” he says of his timeless philosophy that requires crafting items he can be proud of. That ethos, as enduring as the man himself, resonates in every stitch and design of Obermeyer gear. “When I see someone wearing Obermeyer, I feel I already know them,” he says. Now, looking back at over a century of skiing, Obermeyer reflects on a life spent chasing not just powder but purpose. “Skiing,” he says of the sport that’s been his gateway to reinvention, exploration, and joy, “is like a fairytale—it’s beautiful.” PHOTOS: COURTESY OF KLAUS OBERMEYER “I have always enjoyed watching skiers who bring joy to the mountain.” Klaus Obermeyer has skied nearly his entire life and launched his eponymous brand in 1947 with other skiers in mind. “Business is like a dance,” he says. “Always create win-win situations and work to make life better for people.” Read GRAZIA USA’s Aspen Gazette: Hot List: Aspen Edition GRAZIA Gazette: Aspen Issue, a Winter’s Tale Save Your Skin on the Slopes Aspen Art Museum and the Must-See 2025 Exhibits Max Mara: Take a Hike Andie MacDowell: In Every Woman, I See a Sister

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