In the 1960s if you wanted to wear something with a dramatic flare then you chose the work of Ronald Amey. He was known for his original use of fabrics and colors and his dresses were priced into the thousands even in the 1960s. His career was very short-lived. From 1959-1969 he designed under the label Burke-Amey. Joseph Burke, his partner, took care of the business side of things. In 1970s he bought out Burke and renamed the company Ronald Amey where he continued to produce his dramatic clothing until the label shuttered in 1976. His clothing was of very high quality and he incorporated many couture level details into their construction. All of his pieces were sewn in-house at his New York atelier

One of his signatures was to combine prints, fabrics and detailing embellishments in interesting, unusual ways and this dress is a wonderful example of that. This is an absolutely beautiful dress and I think that in person it is even better. The bodice is cut to curve around the body and then it is cinched in at the waist area. The sleeves are spectacular and each is cut to be full and voluminous. The skirt also has volume and is cut in a wide curve that billows out and away from the body. The base fabric is a printed silk organza. This choice of fabric allowed him to give the sleeves the volume you see but it also keeps the dress light in weight. The neckline is high and the detailing on it runs wide across the tops of the shoulders. That metallic band that Amey used to detail the dress is fantastic. It is a lattice made of silver metal thread that has little eyelash tufts attached to it. This is then bordered by a band of gold and silver thread. This curves around the neckline and then down the front all the way to the hem of the skirt. More of this silver and gold detailing runs around the hem, the waist and then is used again for the cuffs on each sleeve. Big dome buttons that are wrapped in a gold metal thread sit at the back of the neck and on each cuffs. Excellent condition with one minor note below.

Fully lined in a pale ice white blue silk throughout. Entirely hand finished. It closes with a back zipper and two gold buttons at the neck. Each cuff has three gold metal dome buttons and loops. There is one gold bead missing on the top button at the back of the neck otherwise the dress appears to have been worn very little if at all. The dress is even better in person. The length will land from midi to just above the ankle depending on your height

Sleeves: 24"
Shoulders: 14.5"
Bust: 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 12.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Bodice: 15" from top of bodice to waist
Skirt: 36" from waist to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-SML

Item# DD3481

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.