Hotah Jaloh Kira (lady’s dress cloth), Northern Bhutan, mid 20th century, composed of conjoined panels of worked wool in multi-coloured stripes, all from narrow strap loom, 246 x 125cm Provenance: Acquired in the early 1980s Footnote: Recognised as the national dress of Bhutanese women, the Kira is an ankle-length garment composed of a rectangular piece of fabric woven in three panels on an upright backstrap loom. Traditionally, the Kira is wrapped around the body, secured at the shoulders by Komas (metal buckles) or Tingkhep (metal pins) and cinched at the waist with a Kera (sash/belt). Often used to indicate the social status of the wearer, it is not uncommon for the most intricate Kiras to take more than a year to produce. A variation on the traditional Kira, the Hotah Jaloh Kira is typically manufactured from tightly woven yak or sheep wool and is the favoured winter dress of many Bhutanese women.