The Godefroyae Orchid: Aphrodite's Sandal and the Story Behind Our Lady Slipper Print

Of all the orchids in our collection, the Godefroyae has the most romantic name in botany. It belongs to the Paphiopedilum family — commonly called lady slipper orchids for their distinctive pouch-shaped bloom — and the genus name itself translates to "Aphrodite's sandal," a direct reference to Paphos, the town in Cyprus where myth says the goddess of love rose from the sea.

Paphiopedilum godefroyae, known to collectors as Mrs. Godefroy's Paphiopedilum, grows low on limestone cliffs in Thailand, just above the sea — a slower-growing, more unusual orchid than the Phalaenopsis varieties in the rest of our collection. Lady slipper orchids in general are known for needing careful, patient cultivation, which has made them a symbol of thoughtfulness and long-nurtured care as much as romance.

Because of that mythological tie to Aphrodite, the lady slipper orchid has long been considered a meaningful gift between people who care about each other — a flower for someone you're not just fond of, but genuinely devoted to. Victorians in particular saw it as a daring, exciting gift, prized by collectors for its rarity.

Our Godefroyae print carries that same cream-and-burgundy pattern taken directly from the real flower, available on our leggings and long-sleeve crop top. If you're shopping for someone whose story deserves more than a generic floral, this is the one with a myth behind it.