Is Frida Rome Still in Business? (2026 Update)
Still after Frida Rome?We have not confirmed a current listing, so this searches Amazon for you.
Look for Frida Rome on AmazonFull story →Rebecca Joy and Natalie Diana pitched handbags made from cactus leather, with an optional short story tucked inside the lining, in series 19.
The Manchester label is still open for business, and the recognition since the pitch has been real, not just a press release.
Selling a Material as Much as a Bag
The two friends running the company wanted £50,000 for a fifth of it, putting the business at a quarter of a million pounds, a reasonable number given how unusual the underlying material story was.
Steven Bartlett funded the whole ask, saying on air that he wanted sustainable fashion to feel like something people actually wanted to wear, not a worthy compromise, framing his interest around the fabric itself as much as the finished bags.
The Real Draw Was Never the Gimmick
Plenty of press coverage focused on the racier detail in the lining, and it would be fair to assume that kind of novelty fades fast. What has actually carried the brand forward is the leather substitute underneath it, made from cactus by the Mexican firm Desserto, a genuine substitute for animal hide rather than a marketing trick.
Handbags are one of the toughest categories going for an independent label to break into, given how much weight heritage names still carry, so finding a genuinely unusual angle is close to the only way in.
Awards, Not Just a Single Headline
PETA gave the range its Best Vegan Handbag award after the pitch, and both Bartlett and actress Alicia Silverstone have publicly praised the brand since.
That kind of recurring recognition, rather than one splashy moment tied to broadcast night, points to a business still actively working to build its name. You will not find it on Amazon, since it sells exclusively through its own site to protect how the product is presented.