Miami - February 06, 2008

Crocodile Dundee

Adriana Castro Handbags

When you expressed an interest in animals, your parents bought you an ailing goldfish and a Dolphins jersey. (Pa, such the jokester.)

You would have preferred a unicorn or a crocodile.

Adriana Castro was that lucky: Her father actually owned the crocodile farm that inspired her new line of croc skin handbags.

The hobos, satchels, clutches, and raffia (palm tree leaves resembling herringbone prints) tote come in matte, glazed, or metallic metal finishes with suede linings. But the real draw is the colors: bright fuchsias, deep greens, sunny yellows, shiny silvers.

The bags are made in Colombia from legal, sustainable-use breeding farms that contribute to the repopulation of the species.

And that’s no crock.

Available at Mayda Cisneros, 4102 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Coral Gables (305-448-5848); Steam on Sunset, 5830 Sunset Drive, South Miami (305-669-9991). To see styles, go to adrianacastroonline.com.