What to Wear in Portofino
What to Wear
in Portofino
For the woman who arrives in the most beautiful harbour in Italy and dresses for it
Shop the Portofino EditDiscover luxury resort wear, kaftans, and vacation dresses designed for Portofino's iconic harbour, boat days on the Italian Riviera, aperitivo at the waterfront cafés, and the extraordinary beauty of the Ligurian coast. Sai Sankoh pieces are designed for women who dress with intention — available in sizes 0 through 24, shipping in 24–48 hours.
She is the woman at the top of the cliff stairs, watching the coloured houses of Portofino reflected in the harbour water. She has been here before. She will come back. The Sicily print — painterly, Mediterranean, art-informed — was designed for her: for the woman who chose Portofino and knows exactly why.
Portofino is possibly the most beautiful small harbour in the world. The coloured houses — orange, yellow, terracotta, rose — reflected in the green harbour water, the hillside of parasol pines above, the superyachts at anchor. Everything about Portofino is composed as if for a painting. Which is precisely why the Sicily print — its portrait aesthetic deeply Mediterranean — belongs here.
The Lava collection is the Portofino complement: its rose and cream palette was made for the colours of the Ligurian coast. The warm tones photograph against Portofino's painted houses in a way that colder prints cannot. Pack the Sicily Kaftan as your statement piece and the Lava Shirt Dress as your day piece. Together they cover every Portofino occasion from harbour boat to hillside restaurant.
Worn by Beyoncé, Lupita Nyong'o, Gabrielle Union and women around the world who refuse to go unnoticed · Sizes 0–24 · Ships in 24–48 hours
"I wore the Sicily Kaftan on the harbour terrace in Portofino at sunset and cried. It was the most beautiful moment of my life. The kaftan had something to do with it."
The Portofino Edit
Six pieces. One suitcase. Every moment covered.
The harbour piazza in Portofino — the tiny Piazzetta, with the coloured houses and the waterfront cafés — is one of the most photographed spots in Italy. Wear the Sicily Kaftan here in the late afternoon when the light catches the harbour water and the painted houses glow. The print's painterly Mediterranean aesthetic was designed for exactly this backdrop.
Portofino is reached by boat from Santa Margherita Ligure, or by ferry from Rapallo and Camogli. Pack a kaftan that works on the boat and looks intentional when you step onto the dock. The Lava Kaftan in Georgette is ideal — it handles the sea breeze and arrives crease-free. The Lava Shirt Dress transitions from boat to the harbour restaurants without changing.
The restaurants above Portofino — up the hill and over to San Fruttuoso — have spectacular views and an elevated dress code. The Sicily Kaftan in Silk Viscose with flat sandals and the Sicily Scarf over the shoulder is the perfect hillside restaurant piece. Bold, Mediterranean, completely at home in the landscape.
Every Sai Sankoh piece is designed to fit sizes 0 through 24. The kaftans are one-size-fits-all — which means they actually fit all.
Portofino Style Guide
Everything you need to know before you pack
What should women wear in Portofino?
Portofino rewards intentional, sophisticated resort wear. The harbour piazza, the hillside restaurants, the boat trips along the Ligurian coast — all call for pieces that look considered and beautiful. Flowing kaftans, printed maxi dresses, and elegant resort separates are standard. The Sicily print's Mediterranean portrait aesthetic and the Lava collection's rose and cream palette both photograph magnificently against Portofino's coloured harbour houses and turquoise Ligurian water.
What should I pack for Portofino?
For Portofino, pack around the Sicily and Lava collections — Mediterranean tones and painterly prints that feel native to the Ligurian coast. A kaftan, a shirt dress, and a set of matching pants covers every Portofino occasion: harbour walks, boat trips, hillside lunches, and evening dinners above the water.
What is the dress code in Portofino?
Portofino has a sophisticated northern Italian dress culture — elegant, considered, quietly luxurious. The resort standards here are similar to Capri: smart casual is the baseline and genuine elegance is celebrated. A Sai Sankoh kaftan or printed shirt dress handles every Portofino occasion without overpacking.
How do I get to Portofino?
Portofino is reached by boat from Santa Margherita Ligure (15 minutes), by ferry from Rapallo and Camogli, or by foot on the coastal path from Santa Margherita. The boat approach — arriving in the harbour with the coloured houses reflected in the water — is the iconic Portofino experience. Pack a kaftan that handles the boat journey and looks intentional when you arrive.
What colors photograph best in Portofino?
Portofino's palette — orange, yellow, terracotta, and rose painted houses reflected in green harbour water — makes warm Mediterranean tones photograph with extraordinary effect. The Sicily print's painterly warm tones and the Lava collection's rose and cream palette both complement Portofino's coloured architecture beautifully. Avoid cool blues and greys that don't connect with the harbour's warm reflected colours.
What should I wear on a boat trip from Portofino?
Boat trips from Portofino along the Ligurian Riviera — to San Fruttuoso, the Blue Grotto, or along the Cinque Terre coastline — call for a kaftan that works on the water and arrives looking intentional at each stop. The Lava Kaftan in Georgette is ideal: it folds flat, handles the sea breeze, and arrives crease-free. The Sicily Scarf works as a head covering on the water and a styling accent at lunch.
Are kaftans appropriate for Portofino?
Kaftans are among the most celebrated resort wear pieces on the Italian Riviera. Portofino's fashion culture — refined northern Italian with a superyacht overlay — embraces flowing, luxurious resort dressing. A Sicily or Lava kaftan reads as exactly right on the Portofino harbour terrace. Sai Sankoh kaftans are one-size-fits-all in Georgette and Silk Viscose.
What restaurants are in Portofino?
Portofino's restaurants include Il Pitosforo for fine dining above the harbour, Ristorante Puny in the Piazzetta for Italian classics, and La Marina for waterfront lunches. For any of these, a flowing Silk Viscose kaftan or printed shirt dress is appropriate. The Sicily Kaftan's Mediterranean portrait print is particularly suited to Portofino's art-informed dining culture.
When is the best time to visit Portofino?
May, June, and September are the ideal months for Portofino — warm enough for the water while avoiding August's intense crowds. The harbour in late May and early June, when the Ligurian flowers are in bloom and the light is clear, is extraordinarily beautiful. For fashion photography, the golden afternoon light on Portofino's coloured houses is best in June and September.
What is the fashion scene like in Portofino?
Portofino attracts a sophisticated international clientele — Italian, German, and international visitors with high fashion standards. The aesthetic is Italian Riviera luxury: elegant, considered, quietly extraordinary. A Sai Sankoh Sicily or Lava kaftan — with its Mediterranean colour references and goddess silhouette — fits the Portofino fashion culture perfectly.
Your Portofino wardrobe starts here
The Sicily print was made for this harbour.
Shop the Portofino Edit
