80s benetton shetland wool fair isle cardigan with visible mending

the look

a late 1980s united colors of benetton fair isle cardigan, knit in italy from shetland wool. brick, coral, cream and spruce bands of diamonds, crosses and greek-key borders run across a deep red ground, with a solid ribbed button band and a long v-neck. it's cut oversized and boxy, with dropped shoulders, so it wears like a cozy jacket. benetton started in treviso in 1965 as a family knitwear business, and its color-first italian knits became a global uniform in the 80s, when "united colors of benetton" became the brand's name. this one has been given a second life with turquoise visible mending by love your schmatte: darned patches at the elbows and back, and scattered duplicate stitch, which adds a bright counterpoint to the reds.

please note: the mending is visible by design. see photos for each patch.

details

• era: 1980s
• designer: benetton
• origin: italy
• design: oversized v-neck cardigan in a fair isle jacquard of brick, coral, cream and spruce on deep red, with a solid ribbed button band, ribbed cuffs and hem, dropped shoulders and a five-button front. turquoise visible mending by love your schmatte at both elbows, the lower back, a sleeve and the front, worked as darned patches and duplicate stitch, plus a few small green mends at the back neck. labeled united colors of benetton, shetland wool, made in italy. materials and percentages - 100% virgin wool
• condition: very good: knit sound throughout, with past wear repaired in visible turquoise mending, light general wear consistent with age
• size & fit: no size tag visible. best modern fit estimate is women's medium to xl, approximately us 8-16 depending on desired ease. the cut is oversized and boxy, with dropped shoulders and room to layer. shown on a dress form measuring 17 in shoulders, 35 in bust, 30.5 in underbust, 25 in waist and 35 in hips.
• flat measurements: bust 24 in flat, hem 23 in flat, shoulder 22 in, sleeve 20 in from shoulder seam, length 27 in