This collection is a celebration of Le Sirenuse, a storied hotel perched cliffside in Positano, Italy. It is a place full of history, otherworldly charm, and beauty that cannot be overstated (… believe us, we tried).

Tombolo, founded by two New York City subway rats, was shocked and honored to be invited inside. Having rarely left sea-level, what a thrill for us to ascend the cliffs and behold the great, blue expanse of the Mediterranean framed by bougainvillea and lemon trees. Ah the vistas … we’re not worthy!

At Tombolo, our goal has always been to infuse our ‘escapewear’ with the magic of a place like Le Sirenuse. With this ongoing creative collaboration, we were given the opportunity to drink straight from the source. You might say we got drunk off of it. Admittedly, the white wine and limoncello didn’t hurt either…

We fell in love with the hotel and Positano while developing the capsule in close collaboration with the Sersale family – owners of the hotel for generations – who graciously helped us understand the unique history, colors, textures, tastes and vistas of this dreamlike place.

Le Sirenuse was founded in 1951 by siblings Anna, Aldo, Paolo and Franco Sersale when they opened the doors of their private villa in Positano to the world. The Sersales are adoptive positanesi, having originally come from nearby Naples. Over time, their history became intertwined with that of Positano. In 1944, Paolo Sersale was even elected mayor of Positano.  

In our third year partnering with Le Sirenuse, we commissioned an artwork from local ceramicist Lucio Liguori. With his help, we turned our eyes to the town as a whole and created a shirt that captures the interlaced, precarious beauty of towering Positano. Learn more about Liguori and the process of bringing our first silk shirt to life in our dedicated journal post linked below.

In 2022, we also co-designed a shirt with Campanian painter, sculptor, and poet, Paolo Sandulli, who embodies the spirit of the Amalfi Coast with his whimsical, dream-like works. You can read more about this project and Sandulli by clicking below.

The Sersale family of Le Sirenuse go way back with the Bella family who own and operate the iconic Da Adolfo restaurant in Positano. After a warm introduction between friends of friends, we got to work on crafting a limited-edition cabana that would capture Da Adolfo's enigmatic charm. Read more about what it's like to visit the restaurant and the inspiration behind our design.

It is impossible to create a souvenir that does Le Sirenuse justice, but this collection represents our best attempt to channel the place’s charms into something that can be taken home. The collection is full of colors from the hotel and town, nostalgic details, and – of course – features the mythical sirens said to inhabit the islands you see from the hotel’s grand balcony.

John Steinbeck, who visited the hotel in 1953, described it best: “Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.”

Explore the entire collaborative capsule with Le Sirenuse below.

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