Bringing, fun and frivolity to Byres Road and obviously catering for customers' demands - Pink Poodle, just opened in October, 2002, sold out many of its major lines in the opening week! This fabulously funky establishment is the brainchild of Tracy Kinnaird, owner of another West End establishment Elements in De Decourcy's, Cresswell Lane. With a background in fashion design and 5 years experience working in the area she has sprung into action to fill a gap in the market.

Already there is a tremendous buzz about her shop with lots of enthusiastic buyers looking for something just that bit different. The stock is bright and beautiful, definitely zany and some items are "not for the fainthearted"- tiny hotpants with strategically placed handprints on the bottom, provocative underwear, and tiny vest tops.

The shop mainly carries the creations of young, independent diesigners such as Ringspun, Get Cutie, Religion, Traffic and Pussy Deluxe. Tracy describes the two main looks of the moment as:

• Military meets Madame Butterfly
• and Fifties Retro

You can go for military tailoring softened with exotic printed silk halternecks and sheer fabrics or a range inspired by 'Grease' and 50's pin ups like Audrey Hepburn and Doris Day - lots of polka dots with calf-length skirts and cha cha tops.

They also have adorable vest tops adorned with delicate lace butterflys and pleated denim mini skirts, which could get you talked about in the nicest possible way.

There are lots of funky accessories including some outrageous bath caps with bright pink roses - great gifts for folk with a sense of style and humour. Also is stock is some great Mikey jewellery and absolutely exquisite Butler and Wilson diamonte creations.

Tracy's zest for fashion design has found a great outlet in Pink Poodle - it can only go from strength to strength and is being helped along nicely by lots of media attention including the Scotsman and Elle magazine. Jane Hamilton of The List (13 - 27th Mar 2003) has this to say:

The 50's are back in style and I've found just the shop to indulge your penchant ...Pink Poodle has everything the fashion-conscious girl should be wearing this summer

She thinks that it is just the place to: "Put a little za-za-zu back into your wardrobe".

181 Byres Rd., Glasgow. Tel: 0141 357 3344

Photographs by Jim Byrne