Thomas Jacob is a former luxury fashion designer who has created a new fashion line using inmate skills and labor. After being inspired by the camaraderie of Peruvian inmates on a trip to a prison in Lima, Jacob started Project Pietá, which teaches prisoners the skills and processes to produce clothing, from design to production. Jacob illustrates a goal of his to “show to the world that in these jails with all our efforts and talent, we could make a high quality work like any other high fashion studio.” Already spanning a diverse collection of apparel to footwear, Project Pietá has grown to include over three prisons and is distributed at BASE in Miami and Please Do Not Enter in Los Angeles. Read select excerpts from Jacob’s interview with Oyster Magazine below and head over to Project Pietá’s online store for the full product range.
How did you first hear about San Pedro prison and how did the project first come about?
The project began two years ago. But for a year we just developed samples and prototypes. It was difficult to reach the level I expected in the beginning, so we had to work a lot to reach a high quality level. I didn’t want to make a common brand, making average-quality products. I wanted to show at the world at in theses jails with all our efforts and talent, we could make a high quality work like any other high fashion studio. It all started when I had the opportunity to visit a jail here in Lima with a French friend. I met a lot of wonderful people, warm, open minded and very far from the image you may have of prison inmates here. These people came from underprivileged upbringings and were now idling in prison with nothing to make of their days.In reality they to learn a skill, to work, to earn money, but they didn’t have any opportunities. There were some unused sewing and knitting machines, just for the intern’s needs. I felt that it was an amazing possibility for them to create something strong. We stayed discussing this for many hours and I felt an incredible energy and motivation that I couldn’t give up on, and so I promised to return soon. I made some designs, I spoke with the prison administration and we began work on the samples.
Thanks to the skills of the inmates (sewing, knitting, embroidering, leather working) the collection represents a very high quality. We work in three prisons now. The women’s prison Santa-Monica (in Chorrillos, south of Lima and the two men’s prisons San Jorge and San Pedro in Lurigancho. This prison is well known because it’s the worst jail of the country, and one of the hardest in the world.
How often do you meet with the prisoners and what was your first meeting with them like?
From the first day, the meeting was incredible. They always have been very warm and cool with me. For two years now, I go to the jails everyday, but with three jails it’s like one or two times a week each. So now we are friends. More than friends, a family I suppose. And with all the people who have been released, there is still friendship.What’s the ethos or mission statement of the brand?
The goal is to sell more and more clothes in order to produce more and more stuff and in order to work with more inmates and more jails! It’s very important for them to earn money. When you are alone what can you do except die slowly? Working permits you to earn a regular income and you don’t depend from the others to live. For the inmates, it also allows for hope and confidence. And each day of work means another day towards getting out of jail.
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