Knitted hooded jumper, 'Patched', designed by Jay Musson and Stephen Bennington, 1984

Multi-coloured knitted jumper with integrated hood. The jumper was machine-knitted in wool and cotton. The lower half of the body is patterned with bright yellow flowers on a sparkly purple ground. Each flower has a red and black eye at its centre; red lips punctate the gaps between the flowers, at their base. The upper half of the body is bright pink, patterned with spirals and zig-zags in blue, red and black. The hood is black with silver swirls knitted into it; the hood connects to the body via a deep 'v' of the same pattern. The sleeves are alternating black and pink stripes, patterned with silver, swirling knot-like motifs.

The cuffs, waistband and edge of the hood are elasticated.

Donated by Jay Musson and Stephen Bennington

Jay Musson and Stephen Bennington grew up in Salford and moved to London in the 1960s to study at Central St Martins and the Chelsea School of Art. In the early 1970s they began selling samples of handknit, unisex knitwear to Chelsea boutiques. After working initially under the label 'David and Stephen' they established the company Jay Musson Ltd in the late 1970s. From the early 1980s, Musson and Bennington manufactured their designs using modified industrial knitting machines in a workshop in Brixton. This hooded jumper was knitted on a jacquard machine. Its bright colours and pop patterns highlight the boldness and fun of 1980s British knitwear.

T.163-2014