Koto collective 20-23: Collection of works by students of textile and clothing design at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, created during the pandemic and post-COVID period of 2020-2023

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of 2020 had a profound impact on the fashion and textile industry, which came to a halt overnight and changed the lives of individuals working in various segments of its supply chain. It also significantly affected the lives of the future generation of textile and clothing designers. The theoretical and practical lessons moved to online classrooms, which demanded almost impossible adjustments. The challenges faced by educators and students were unimaginable. For an industry whose primary characteristics are tactility and materiality, the sense of touch, close-up views and spatial perception were made impossible. ‍
The onset of the pandemic in March 2020 also shook up our public presentations. In the spirit of the times, we adapted to the new circumstances and created the online platform kotofolio.si. The website, in the Slovenian language, presents the most relevant student projects from the academic year 2019/20 onwards to the broader public. Additionally, it provides insight into the initial concepts, research, and development of ideas and final products through photographs and moving images.

Chair of Textile and Fashion Design, OTGO,
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering www.kotofolio.si