PARIS, Mar 13, 2001/ --- No tour of the style capitals is complete without seeing a collection by Martin Margiela, one of fashion's truly original designers.

Tuesday night's show contained many of Martin's by-now classic ideas - like thigh boots that morphed into cloven toes or oversized jackets and tuxedos - but it also broke radical new ground.

Staged in the cellar of Paris's most beautiful bridge Pont Alexander III, the show began with percussionists pounding on African gourd drums.

The cellar was arranged in a series of little squares at the front of which was a cheap beaded curtain.

Models were escorted around by members of Margiela's staff, each dressed in a white lab coat, underlining that real fashion research takes place at this house.

Margiela's big idea this season were beautifully-cut jackets where the buttons, pockets and lapels were all embossed inside the garment, though some had their pockets slit open.

It made for a great visual trick and gorgeous clothes.

His other fresh ideas were asymmetrical patchwork dressing gowns, multi-creased skirts and shawls that morphed into coats.

European catwalks have been crammed with enough trenches to survive a deluge, but nobody's was as novel as Margiela's trench coat - in front like a cape, in the back like tails.

In a brilliant sleight of hand, Margiela also created thigh boots that morphed into jodhpurs covered with panty hose.

Margiela's house has been buffeted by speculation that Jil Sander might replace Margiela as Hermès's womenswear designer.

Hermès has heatedly denied the rumors.

On Tuesday night, the board of Jil Sander issued a statement insisting that Sander is contractually prevented from working as a fashion designer before January 2003.

Sander left the house she founded shortly after selling control to Prada and falling out with Prada CEO Patrizio Bertelli.

Martin Margiela

Martin Margiela

Martin Margiela

Martin Margiela