Expect to see red Saga fox, apple green-dyed rabbit and orange/toffee-dyed goat among fabrics like silk cashmere, angora/orylag/new wool, baby camel wool, silk satins, traditional men's suiting fabrics for women and shiny leather. Colors will include military green, black, brown and gold-orange. The inspiration is a mix of military influences and traditional men's English tailoring but done in a very feminine style. "Think Lily Marlene goes back to an English, men-only club," says Bauti.

"I don't believe in using too much fur or making it too serious. I don't believe fur should be something you can only wear out at Christmas or special occasions. Fur should be fabric. You treat it, dye it -- a lot of what we can do with fur is still very unknown," says Bauti. Saga has been good at putting in front of me hundreds of things I'd never known could be done in fur. But I also believe you can wear cashmere with jeans. You have to be comfortable to be elegant. You can't design against the body."

Bauti won't hold a formal fashion show this season, but his collection can be viewed by appointment in his London showroom.

Bauti revels in designing for women who are confident and have strong personalities, and definitely for women who love to feel sexy and wear fur. "When you feel good, you feel confident; and when you feel sexy, you really go for it -- your whole day is better," says Bauti.

The philosophy seems to be serving him well. He's already been discovered by retailer Joseph, which asked him to create some looks -- including fur -- for its stores around the world. Department stores are lining up for appointments, and one of Bauti's furs was snatched up to appear in the 2000 Vidal Sassoon worldwide advertising campaign.

But don't think this is just another newcomer causing commotion. Spanish-born Bauti already has an impressive fashion resume. He has worked for Alexander McQueen, Armani, Joseph and Louis Vuitton. He's learned the world of fashion from all sides, toiling as a personal shopper, in a press office and in merchandising at fashion houses, and he even worked at the Victoria & Albert Museum for a while. For his graduate show a year ago, he was able to enlist the assistance of some major designer for his accessories: Jimmy Choo supplied shoes, Phillip Treacy hats and Erickson Beamon jewelry.

And to think that Bauti needed a push from a friend to get his fashion career into high gear. He was already involved in fashion in Spain, but it took a friend to send in his application to perhaps the most famous fashion school in the world, which has produced the likes of John Galliano. "I was really worried," said Bauti. "St. Martins only takes 60 students each year out of some 6,000 to 10,000 applicants. The competition is very tough."

His school days turned out to be busy ones, between learning English and working to meet expenses. He started at McDonald's but, once his English was better, went on to Giorgio Armani and Louis Vuitton, getting staff training. His personal shopper days left him with a black book full of fashion items women wanted but couldn't find, teaching him about fashion from the consumer point of view. He even worked as a fashion assistant at the London Daily Telegraph for a while. And he designed embroideries for Alexander McQueen for four months between his second and third years of college. That's when lightening struck. McQueen, who has always worked with fur, had samples on hand that intrigued Bauti.

"I'll never forget what a great feeling it was, touching those samples for the first time," says Bauti. "What could be more glamorous and sensual than fur? Seduction is an important part of design."

But he also should have learned from McQueen the probable uproar he would cause by using fur in his collection. "I didn't know it would cause such a stigma," he explains. "In my country, we do not have these animal rights issues."

Editors loved his collection, for the most part. Some gave him bad press because he was using animal skins, and he had to guard his collection in school from attempts to cut the fur coats. "A lot of magazines loved the coats but thought they were fake. Some published photos and just said they were fake. When one of the Spice Girls wore my fox jacket for one magazine cover, she said it was fake."

But that hasn't discouraged Bauti. He's grateful for the tremendous support he received from all the contacts he's developed in the fashion industry in London, including legendary stylist Isabella Blow and Saga's Rita Martin.

And he's just getting started. For now his production is limited, but he's looking for backing. He expects to launch a Web site shortly.

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