Yes, this is an opened out skirt. It is Miao/Hmong. As I am sure you know, this is a large and diverse minority group, known in China as the Miao but outside, where various groups have migrated over at least a couple of hundred years, Hmong. It could come from Thailand, Vietnam, S W China or Laos.
It might be hemp or cotton fabric - possibly hand spun as I think I can see slubs in the thread - hand woven and then decorated with wax resist before being dyed with indigo. It was then embroidered and some applied fabric (or even braid) and some market-bought fabric added as decoration. It would then have been pleated into very fine pleats - there ware various methods employed by the different Miao/Hmong groups. It is possible to see the remains of the pleating in the photos.
We have no background to your postings so no help at all. There are numerous books illustrating this sort of skirt in which to find out further information which have been mentioned from time-to-time on the forum and are also listed on the Bibliography pages on the main
http://www.tribaltextiles.info website where you will also find various photogalleries showing similar examples from China, Thailand and Vietnam if you are prepared to spend a little time investigating.
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Pamela
http://www.tribaltextiles.infoon-line tribal textiles resource
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