August 18, 2025

The Woman Behind Positano

By Debbie Combrink
The Woman Behind Positano

🌸Why I Started This Journey

When people step into Positano, they see beautiful swimwear and resort wear, but what they might not see straight away is the story behind it - my story.

Positano isn’t just a brand I created; it’s an extension of me. Every piece on the rails carries a thread of my journey: the struggles, the reinventions, the heartbreaks, the moments of joy. I believe that when women know the heart behind the brand, they connect to it more deeply. So today, I want to share a little of mine with you.


🌊 Life Hasn’t Always Been Straightforward

Some of the most defining moments of my life were also the hardest.

  • When my son was just nine months old, his dad and I separated. Divorce is never easy, but with a baby in my arms, I had no choice but to dig deep and find strength I didn’t know I had.

  • I lost my mom far too young, when she was just 56, and my dad later to cancer. Grief shaped me, sharpened my appreciation for life, and taught me how precious every moment is.

  • I walked away from a corporate career when a toxic boss left me no option. At the time, it felt like failure, but now I see it as a redirection.

  • And, like so many, I lost my stable income during COVID. Watching my savings vanish was terrifying - but it also pushed me to rethink everything.

Each challenge could have broken me. But instead, they built me into the woman I am today: tenacious, determined, and unwilling to give up when something truly matters.


💕 From Struggle to Purpose

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wrestled with self-esteem and body image. I grew up overweight, learned harmful habits as a teen, and carried the belief that “thin = good enough” for far too long. It’s taken years of unlearning and healing to get to a place where I can say: I am enough, just as I am.

This is at the very heart of Positano. I know how debilitating it feels to stand in front of a mirror and only see what you think is wrong with you. I also know how transformative it feels to slip on a garment that celebrates your shape, supports your body, and makes you feel beautiful.

That’s why Positano exists - to remind women that they are good enough, just the way they are.


🌺 The Birth of Positano

When I started Positano, it wasn’t just about clothing. It was about creating something bigger: a brand that whispers confidence into every woman’s ear, that helps her reconnect with the vibrant, carefree part of herself she may have forgotten.

Positano is inspired by La Dolce Vita - the art of living sweetly. To me, that means saying yes to joy, choosing authenticity, and living life in colour. It means quality over quantity, classic style over fleeting trends, and balance over burnout.

And it means creating a community of women who lift one another up.


🌞 Why I’m Sharing This With You

Because I want you to know Positano isn’t just another clothing label. It’s personal. It’s my story stitched into every seam - and hopefully, yours too.

If you’ve ever had to reinvent yourself, rebuild after loss, or simply remind yourself that you are enough… then Positano is for you.

This is just the beginning of the story I want to tell, and I’m so grateful you’re here to share it with me.


✨ Coming up next in this blog series: Reinventing Yourself After Setbacks -  how failure became my launchpad.