“Le Voyage du Cachemire”: When a Motif from the East Conquers Provence
From 17 October 2026, the Fragonard Museum of Fashion and Costume in Arles invites visitors to follow the fascinating journey of a motif that has become emblematic of textile history: the boteh. Through the exhibition Le Voyage du Cachemire, the museum traces the path of this decorative form from India to Provence, highlighting its extraordinary spread throughout the 19th century.
A Travelling Motif That Became a Textile Icon
Recognisable by its curved shape, reminiscent of a drop or a stylised leaf, the boteh is closely associated with the famous fabrics and shawls of Kashmir. Fragonard’s exhibition looks in particular at how this motif, initially associated with the elegance and refinement of Eastern elites, gradually moved beyond both geographical and social boundaries.
According to the exhibition’s official presentation, the boteh thus evolved from the “exclusive elegance of sultans” to genuine democratisation through fashion. Its success enabled it to cross oceans and establish a lasting presence in the Western textile imagination during the 19th century.
From India to Provence
Through Le Voyage du Cachemire, the Museum of Fashion and Costume has chosen above all to tell this story from a Provençal perspective. The collections on display reveal the particular place occupied by the Kashmir motif in Provençal clothing and wardrobes.
The exhibition therefore brings together the circulation of motifs, the history of fashion, and local appropriation. A decorative pattern born thousands of kilometres away became, through transformation and diffusion, a familiar element of Provençal dress heritage. Fragonard itself describes the boteh as a motif that found a special place “in the hearts and wardrobes of Provence.”
This journey is a reminder of how deeply fashion is shaped by exchange. Fabrics, techniques and ornaments travel from one region to another, are reinvented according to local uses, and sometimes come to be seen as inseparable from the culture that has adopted them.
An Exhibition in Two Parts
Le Voyage du Cachemire will be presented at the Fragonard Museum of Fashion and Costume in two periods: from 17 October 2026 to 3 January 2027, and then from 1 March to 23 May 2027.
It is an opportunity to discover, in the heart of Arles, how a simple decorative motif can tell a much broader story of travel, cultural influence and changing clothing practices.
Practical Information
The exhibition is being held at the Musée de la Mode et du Costume, 16 rue de la Calade, 13200 Arles. In October, November, December and March, the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., with last admission at 5:30 p.m. In April and May, opening hours are announced as 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with last admission at 6 p.m. The museum also indicates certain exceptional closure dates, including 25 December.
For more information about the exhibition:
https://culture.fragonard.com/mmc/le-voyage-du-cachemire-3842/
Extract from the exhibition magazine:
https://culture.fragonard.com/mmc/
For more information about the museum:
https://culture.fragonard.com/mmc/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/09/dp-voyage-cachemire.pdf
Le Voyage du Cachemire
Fragonard Museum of Fashion and Costume, Arles
17 October 2026 to 3 January 2027
Then 1 March to 23 May 2027