In the 17th century, Marseille became the entry point of fabrics coming from the Levant. It is thanks to this ‘open door to the Orient’, such a place of choice, that Provence was the first to discover the sumptuous colourful fabrics from the Orient, and adapted them to make typically Provencal art. Consequently, Marseille became the cradle of Indienne and piqué fabrics well before the first half of the 18th century.

Since the end of the 17th century, with the adoption of sewing and quilting techniques in Provence, and printed cotton fabrics with coloured motifs of seedlings, Provençal clothing traditions were established. At this time, the lifestyle of people of Provence radically changed, trading their woollen rags for airy colourful cotton clothing. 

Two different techniques of quilting were adopted in Provence. The implementation of piqué within the fabrication of quilted Indienne printed bedcovers was met with great success in the 18th and 19th centuries. Boutis, otherwise known as piqué de Marseille, as for it, is a very refined style of needlework particular of Marseille.