This design came to life the moment we spotted this linen print in the mayhem of a crowded trade show. The riot of blues dotted with yellow reminded us of a long ago drive along Italy's Amalfi Coast. Nothing less than a huge circle skirt with a full 360 degree sweep to the hem could match the drama of this breathtaking scenery.
Strada Statale or State Road 163 snakes along high cliffs that rise out of the vibrant Mediterranean Sea and yes, it is one of the most dangerous roads in the world. As the bus tore around the hairpin turns and seemed at any moment that it would plummet hundreds of feet down to the sea, we looked longingly at the firmly rooted lemon trees that covered the steep hillsides. They weren't going anywhere.
The Amalfi Lemon is world renowned. Originating from trade between the Italian coast and the Middle East, it has been cultivated for a thousand years. In the 19th century it assumed great economic importance when it transformed the previously unproductive land of the rocky, steep Amalfi Coast. Today the limone amalfitano is so distinctive it is a protected geographic designation, much like champagne from France or Harris tweed from Scotland.
Along the Costiera Amalfitana the lemons are still picked by hand and harvest begins in late February. With the choice of this exuberant linen print dress as our first of 2018, Anikka Becker curtsies to the Amalfi coast and its famous fruit.
See more of the Amalfi Print Linen Dress in the Shop.
