November 23, 2004

Back to the Future

Goldenbleu Handbags

Seems that everything, including names, goes in and out of fashion. With everyone calling their kids Coco and Apple, respectable monikers like Gertrude and Pearl are long forgotten.

Thanks to new San Francisco handbag company Goldenbleu, such names are having a renaissance of their own.

Annette and Esmerelda are the brightly hued leather and suede handbags that marry ’80s flash with sleek retro lines and come in colors like sand space-station and violet luster. With its suede interior and ruched paneling, the large Pearl bag fits your laptop during the day. At night, it folds into an eye-catching clutch. The slouchy Marilyn bag in pearlized leather pays homage to utilitarian purses of the past with a boxy retro shape, while its futuristic luminescence and wrap-around detailing add edgy sophistication.

So you’ll have enough functionality for your modern lifestyle and plenty of vintage details to satisfy cravings for classic glamour.

Which will make you rethink the question What’s in a name?

Available at Beau, 3571 Sacramento Street, between Locust and Laurel Streets (415-440-1058); or Les Deux Copines, 1433 Burlingame Ave., Burlingame (650-375-1933). To see styles or purchase online, go to goldenbleu.com.