Feb 26, 2002/FWD/ --- Spanish designer Rafael Lopez proved that he was no one-trick pony yesterday, with a confident collection that had editors and buyers alike enthusing over his assured on-schedule debut.

His tiny off-schedule catwalk presentation last season attracted a handful of curious fashion editors, who were treated to a gorgeous, romantic lace-filled and frilled selection of skirts and dresses.

Anyone expecting more of the same this season would have been sorely disappointed.

This time round he sent out more animal skins than a tannery, with girls in patchwork fur, leather and shearling coats, blouson suede skirts, and a purple, cream and brown swirled leather patchwork, which he used to great effect in dresses and skirts.

His draping ability was clearly on show in a deceptively simple black jersey dress with an elongated keyhole down the spine.

A series of velvet pieces included a wicked stepmother's swirling black cape with fur trimmed hood, a lean full-length black coat lined with turquoise silk, and a show-stopping silver tunic with floor-sweeping silver tassels.

Lopez has obviously thought long and hard over this collection, which also managed to pick up on some of the emerging trends of next season without being overly derivative: slim abbreviated trousers, draped dresses and a prodigious use of leather.

If he continues to develop as he obviously has done over the past year, then it's a given that his show will be one of the hottest tickets of next season's London Fashion Week.