FRIDA ROME

As seen on BBC"s Dragon's Den. Winners of the PETA award for Best Vegan Bags, FRIDA ROME is a conscious luxury vegan bag brand, creating bold statement pieces that perfectly embody a modern woman's sophisticated yet contradictory nature. The RIDE ROME launch bag is the bestselling WEEK/END Crossbody Bag made from sustainable Cactus Leather.

Inspired by iconic locations such as the former residence of Yves Saint Laurent and the Jardins Majorelle in Marrakech, FRIDA ROME's accessories are crafted to be lifelong companions.

About the Founders

Unapologetically liberal in their approach, Rebecca Joy and Natalie Deana share the outlook that fun always comes first – this has been key in their business approach.

With a background in events, marketing and advertising, Rebecca and Natalie are friends turned business partners who set out to follow their passion for luxury style, and given both women are vegan, it was inevitable that they would invest in creating a sustainable vegan luxury label.

Having lived on opposite sides of the world for over ten years and maintained a strong bond, it was during one of their many spontaneous trips – this time to Morocco, in 2018 – that the idea of starting FRIDA ROME was born, leading to the launch of their first accessory, the cactus leather WEEK/END bag. The FRIDA ROME bag can be deconstructed to fit neatly inside carry-on luggage. Discreetly displayed on the softest eco-suede lining of the WEEK/END is an erotic story chapter; a little reminder of the rebel side of the woman who wears it. It’s the perfect conversation starter...or something to keep for yourself.

“We started this brand because we fully embrace our personal ethos towards the good life and part of that is being vegan. We’re giving a voice to those that don’t have one, as well as proving to the fashion industry that luxury can be vegan. FRIDA ROME pushes the boundaries towards making veganism sexy when it comes to style.”

Materials

Avoiding a heavy reliance on PU and completely renouncing PVC, FRIDA ROME works with cactus leather from Mexico – what makes it amazing is that the harvest process does not damage the plant. The label's micro-suede is made in Italy using only water-based dyes and minimising energy waste. Finally, this vegan brand uses organic cotton from Germany, only grown in areas with sufficient rainfall for cotton farming. No pesticides are used in its production, and it is harvested with natural, ecological methods.

People

FRIDA ROME makes its vegan handbags locally in the UK, in order to establish a good working relationship with the people who actually make them – artisan craftsmen and women who have been working in their trade for decades. Natalie and Rebecca know them personally and witness their working conditions regularly. The brand uses manufactures and suppliers who provide transparent information on the welfare of their staff and their business practices, and also work with those with Fair for Life certification.

Production

The FRIDA ROME bag is made in a traditional bag-making workshop a fifteen-minute drive from their office in Manchester. Working to maintain a highly skilled manufacturing capability on UK soil, this workshop is ethical and transparent in their operations. FRIDA ROME chooses to work with this manufacturer for their ethics towards fair work and maintaining good craftsmanship, but also to reduce their own freight emissions by choosing not to export manufacturing overseas.

Packaging

The packaging company FRIDA ROME works with plants trees to offset the use of organic wood pulp material used to make the mailing boxes that the brand's sophisticated accessories are shipped in. Made from 90% recycled materials, the packaging is also 100% recyclable and compostable, and only uses water-based inks and natural glues

Animals

As the founders are vegan themselves, FRIDA ROMA is a PETA-Approved vegan brand.