The elusive Belgian designer Martin Margiela famously chooses not to be photographed or interviewed face to face, but the backing of Diesel, the Italian jeans giant, has propelled his label into the global spotlight.

It is an unlikely marriage, not least because the designer’s dislike for the limelight is at odds with the Diesel philosophy maintained by Renzo Rosso, the owner and chief executive officer, who insists that for a brand to have impact and authority it should remain visible.

During the last four years, more than €15 million (£10 million) has been pumped into the Margiela label. Still, the sales figures are on the up — €32 million last year — and there is no denying that a corporate injection is likely to propel this company to the next level.

So far, Rosso has not only opened outlets in Taipei, Paris and New York, but he has been responsible for orchestrating key appointments in both the design and commercial offices.

A lack of big backers in the past has not prevented Maison Margiela from attracting a share of the limelight: its reputation for pushing fashion ideas to an extreme, as well as eschewing the standard catwalk shows and coming up with (an often kookier) alternative, has attracted plenty of media attention.

The opening day of Paris Fashion Week was a world away from the predominantly bland red-carpet wear and safely styled visions of the Kodak theatre, the venue for the Academy Awards in Hollywood on Sunday. Margiela’s sharp lines and exaggerated triangular shapes echoed Milan’s march last week towards a pared-down, more structured silhouette.

Highly defined shoulders were an interesting starting point for T-shirts that were combined with skinny-fit trousers in neutral colours.

Tailoring was a key element, and among the more abstract shapes (such as the square capes, another trend from Milan) were some very sleek single-breasted jackets, cut razor-sharp without lapels.

One of the more innovative ideas was the fusion of fabrics to create the impression of a tailored skirt over a pair of tights; on closer inspection the items were cut from the same piece of material. This theme was repeated with longer skirts worn with trousers. Jolts of neon added a refreshing edge to monochromatic shades.

In some instances tubular framework was bound around looser jackets to give them a structure, while in other cases square tubing was used to delineate the body.

At the Isabel Marant show earlier there was a lack of tricky, conceptual pieces and instead we were treated to a display of the strengths of this French designer: feminine, urban wardrobe staples with a youthful bent.

She may not be one of the most-cutting edge French designers who will show this week — certainly the olive, fur-lined parkas mixed with layered knits and gold, embroidered tunics didn’t make for the most riveting catwalk spectacle — but she is certainly one of its most wearable. And let’s face it, who needs a tubular square cape anyway?

Week ahead

— Hotly anticipated this week are this morning’s Balenciaga show, Yves Saint Laurent on Thursday, and Chanel and Alexander McQueen on Friday

— The first Chloe presentation with newly appointed Paolo Melin Anderson at the creative helm also goes ahead

— Former Rochas designer Olivier Theyskens presents his first collection for Nina Ricci on Sunday

— Vanessa Bruno joins the schedule for the first time that day

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