PARIS, Mar 10, 2001/ --- Nathalie Gervais staged her last collection for Nina Ricci Saturday, ending her career at the house with a polished collection in Paris.

"It hasn’t been easy," an emotional Gervais told FWD backstage after the presentation of the fall 2001 collection, shown in a custom-built tent on the opposite side of the Seine from the Eiffel Tower.

The house plans to officially announce Gervais’ departure on Monday, but Mariano Puig, whose Catalan family owns Ricci and Paco Rabanne, confirmed Gervais would be leaving Ricci.

"It’s been a great experience working with Nathalie. She is a wonderful woman, but sometimes things change," said Puig.

He declined to make any other comment, but did confirm to FWD that he plans to move back to Barcelona.

The departure of Gervais, who apparently did not see eye to eye with Andrea Pinto, the managing director appointed last year, comes after several months of melodrama.

In the fall, an anonymous fax was sent from Rabanne announcing Puig’s return to Spain and criticizing Gervais’ performance.

Remarkably, though a half dozen senior Paris fashion editors received this fax, no French publication wrote about the incident.

For her finale, Gervais sent the models out on a catwalk covered in fake fur dyed in mottled fuchsia.

She opened with chic redingotes in frosted ecru worn with frilly chiffon tops and lean pants.

They were flattering and chic.

A posse of fashion house presidents and head hunters showed up for the denouement, which also featured sleeveless burgundy suede dresses, semi-transparent sweaters and Ricci’s trademark gold mesh clutch bags.

The Russian moment closed the show when huge, fake fur Cossack hats topped outfits of swinging crepe skirts, sleek crystal-encrusted boots and edgy padded bomber jackets.

Everyone from James Bond to Diaghalev would have loved this curtain call.

Nina Ricci

Nina Ricci

Nina Ricci

Nina Ricci