Bamboo thumbnail 1
Bamboo thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Bamboo

Cardigan and Scarf
1974 (designed and made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

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 cardigan and scarf both carry labels for the high-end fashion store Browns, on London's South Molton Street. Musson and Bennington worked at Browns on and off over a number of years. The fact that their designs were stocked by the store highlights the important place which knitwear held in British fashion of the period. This matching cardigan and scarf set, with its slim fit and unisex pattern, demonstrates an interest in androynous dress and 1930s silhouettes that was characteristic of much contemporary design.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Cardigan
  • Scarf
TitleBamboo (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Hand machine knitted
Brief description
Knitted cardigan and scarf, 'Bamboo', designed by Jay Musson and Stephen Bennington
Physical description
Hand-machine intarsia knitted cardigan and scarf. The lower two-thirds and sleeves of the cardigan are maroon, the upper third is a lighter pink. The cardigan has a collar and fastens down the front with toggles.A wide pink band runs across the upper sleeve and chest, decorated with a light blue vine pattern. A geometric bamboo pattern in light green, punctuated by orange and pink flowers runs up the front of the cardigan, on either side of the opening. There are wide stripes of pink, blue and maroon at the end of each sleeve. The waist and cuffs are elasticated.

The scarf is maroon with a light-green, pink, maroon and red fringe. There is a geometric bamboo pattern at either end of the scarf, a light-blue and pink flower sits at the centre of the bamboo, over a red and black square.

The cardigan has two labels, one that reads 'Jay Musson, Made in England', a second that reads 'Browns'. The scarf has a Browns label.
Dimensions
  • Width of cardigan width: 40cm
  • Length of body of cardigan length: 61cm
  • Length: 61cm (Note: Length of sleeve of cardigan)
  • Length of scarf (without fringe) length: 193cm
  • Length of scarf (with fringe) length: 227cm
Credit line
Donated by Jay Musson and Stephen Bennington
Object history
This cardigan and scarf both have labels for the fashion shop Browns, on London's South Molton Street.
Association
Summary
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 cardigan and scarf both carry labels for the high-end fashion store Browns, on London's South Molton Street. Musson and Bennington worked at Browns on and off over a number of years. The fact that their designs were stocked by the store highlights the important place which knitwear held in British fashion of the period. This matching cardigan and scarf set, with its slim fit and unisex pattern, demonstrates an interest in androynous dress and 1930s silhouettes that was characteristic of much contemporary design.
Collection
Accession number
T.159-2014

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Record createdNovember 30, 2014
Record URL
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