In 1980, siblings Nino, Sandra, and Anna Maria Buonocore opened their first boutique, Nadir, on one of Positano’s winding backstreets. Specialising in Italian-made womenswear, the store quickly became a favourite among locals and visitors. Four decades later, the family business — now known as CB Positano — has gained a new wave of fans through TikTok, with the hashtag #cbpositano amassing millions of views.
Despite their growing online fame, the founders — now in their 60s — are not active social media users themselves. The shop’s popularity has been fuelled instead by customers posting their experiences, particularly since 2023, when “coquette” and “princess-core” aesthetics surged globally alongside the release of Barbie.
Timeless Designs with Global Influence
CB Positano offers a distinctive range of ultra-feminine dresses, accessories, and home goods, with dresses priced between €98 and €328. One of the bestsellers is the off-the-shoulder, empire-line Amely dress (€228), available in floral cotton prints. Accessories include washbags (€48), crossbody bags (€39), and totes (€68), all of which have proven popular online.
Sandra and Anna Maria design and cut garments in Positano alongside local artisans and tailors, while Nino serves as company president. Fabrics are sourced from around the world — including Japan, India, and the U.S. — with many prints created in-house. Accessories are produced by the CB team in India.
Social Media-Driven Demand
Influencers have played a key role in CB’s rise. UK content creator Lydia Brunker flew to Positano specifically for a graduation dress, later sharing her purchase of the Fiona midi dress (€328) on TikTok. “Whenever I wear [my dress], I’m transported to that perfect afternoon,” she said.
Similarly, Texan influencer Cassie Warren discovered CB while studying in Italy, posting a viral video of her visit to buy notebooks and patchwork tote bags — viewed over 860,000 times. According to CB’s social media and sales manager Rocio Belen Fernandez Arena, these moments are part of the brand’s emotional appeal: “I was wearing a CB dress when I got engaged” is the kind of story customers share.
A Family Legacy in Positano
CB Positano welcomes customers from among the 12,000 tourists who visit Positano daily in summer, alongside its 4,000 residents. The Buonocore family also owns Casa Buonocore, a guesthouse located 180 metres from the store. Opened in the 1950s by their mother during the first wave of American tourism to the Amalfi Coast, the property was restored and reopened as a hotel in 2012.
When not in the shop or studio, the siblings can often be found in Casa Buonocore’s garden, making fresh juice for guests. As Fernandez Arena puts it: “When you’re surrounded by beautiful things, you create beautiful things.”
