Aphrodite's Shore Ramie & Cotton Maxi Dress with Pockets

Details

• Long sleeve ramie and cotton maxi dress in ivory with rose, coral, and gold botanical print
• 80% ramie, 20% cotton; cool to the touch, naturally lustrous, and gets softer with every wash
• Ramie is one of the oldest textile fibers in the world, stronger than cotton and naturally resistant to bacteria and odor
• V-neckline with standing collar
• Fitted bodice with defined waist
• Bishop sleeves gathered into buttoned cuffs
• Full gathered maxi skirt with natural volume
• Fully lined
• Concealed side zipper (right side) for easy dressing
• Bra-friendly under the V-neckline and collar
• Discreet side pockets integrated into the seams
• Original print featuring Aphrodite's symbols: roses, seashells, pomegranates, birds, floating pearls, and sea plant vines with gold accents
• True to size

Ramie is a noble natural fiber made from nettles. It is significantly more expensive and difficult to produce than cotton. It has a natural silk-like luster, is stronger than linen, and doesn't rot or mildew easily.

Learn more about ramie, one of the most ancient and underappreciated fibers in textile history: Ramie: The Ancient Textile

Symbolism and Craft

In Hesiod's Theogony, Aphrodite was born from the sea foam and carried to the shore of Cyprus by the winds. The print on this dress places her symbols in that same landscape: roses, which grew wherever she stepped on land; seashells from the waters that formed her; pomegranates, the fruit associated with her temples; birds that accompanied her arrival; and floating pearls scattered across the composition like offerings returned by the tide. The gold accents trace through the vines like late afternoon light on water.

The ramie-cotton blend is the detail that separates this dress from anything else in the collection. Ramie has been cultivated for thousands of years in East Asia and carries a natural luster close to silk with the structural integrity of linen. It breathes in heat, dries fast, resists odor naturally, and holds its shape through a long day. At 80% ramie and 20% cotton, the fabric has the drape and softness that pure ramie sometimes lacks, and it will feel better in a year than it does today because the fiber responds to washing by getting softer rather than breaking down.