Meet Shelly - Founder, Solebarr

My Story

I’ve spent most of my life in the clothing industry — more than 18 years designing and developing garments. I loved the process of bringing ideas to life, of creating something women could feel good in. But it wasn’t until I had my own skin cancer diagnosis that everything shifted for me.

Sun safety stopped being a “nice to have.” It became deeply personal. I realised how hard it was to find swimwear that actually protected my skin and still made me feel confident and stylish.

That realisation grew even stronger when I went on a surf retreat in Lombok. I was surrounded by incredible women, all there for the same reason: to connect with the ocean and ourselves. But I noticed something. Even with sunscreen and the so-called “best” swimwear, we were still getting burnt. I found myself constantly tugging at suits that rode up or left skin exposed. I thought: why isn’t anyone making swimwear that actually solves this?

With my background in fashion and a powerful personal “why,” I knew I could create something better. Swimwear that was designed for women like us — women who love the ocean, who move, surf, swim, stretch, and don’t want to compromise on either style or sun safety.

That’s how Solebarr was born.

Solebarr is more than just swimwear. For me, it’s about:

• Protecting the skin we live in, because healthy skin is beautiful skin.
• Giving women the freedom to move without worrying about if they are protected enough from the sun, or constantly re-adjusting.
• Designing styles that flatter real bodies and make us feel confident, not self-conscious.
• Creating pieces with care, so they last, because I refuse to be part of fast fashion waste.

At its heart, Solebarr is a sisterhood. A community of women who want to live boldly, love the ocean, and protect ourselves while we do it.

This is my story - but Solebarr is really about you. It’s about every woman who has ever felt frustrated in her swimwear, who has worried about her skin in the sun, or who has been told she needs to cover up for the wrong reasons.

Coverage isn’t about hiding. It’s about freedom, self-respect, and feeling at home in your own skin.

That’s what I want Solebarr to stand for. And that’s what drives me every single day.

Shelly Delaney
Founder, Solebarr