Textile designer specialising in printed, woven and knitted fabrics. Lectures, conducts workshops and master classes and is consultant designer for many companies including Kanebo in Japan and the Shetland Islands Traders Association.  In 1977 set up the knitting department at the Royal College of Art. In 1989 was responsible for planning the new design courses for the Nihon Vogue School in Japan. In 1993 appointed consultant to the Victoria and Albert Museum and was instrumental in setting up the ‘Design for Knitting’ and ‘Art of the Stitch’ days. In 1997 organised and selected the contemporary work for the Barcelona Terrassa Textiles Museum exhibition, ‘One Thousand Years of Knitting’. In 1999 he became president of the Weavers, Spinners and Dyers Association.     www.john-allen--london.co.uk