Dance Collar

“Cloud collars” were worn by Lama Buddhists in Tibet. They got their name from the cloud-like shapes in the design, which comes from the centers of mandalas found painted on temple ceilings. The shape represented a gate in the sky, with a deity in the center, and the four corners are the Four Directions.

This shaped collar is worn during ceremonial dances and it opens and flows as the dancer moves and spins around. The fabric used was likely donated to the temple, pieced together from fragments and decorated with appliqué.