Veronica D'Souza on the balance of passion and purpose

Ten years ago, Veronica D'Souza visited a women's prison in Kenya and realised that almost all of the inmates were mothers and had been charged with poverty-related offences such as theft or prostitution. She then founded the fashion label Carcel with the aim of enabling imprisoned women in Peru and Thailand to find work with fair pay. We caught up with D'Souza at the German Creative Economy Summit in March 2024 to talk about creative passion and sensemaking.

Veronica, let’s start off with a simple question: The world is changing at a rapid pace – is it a good time to be a creative today?

Absolutely. The call for creatives has never been louder than now. We need creative forces and the most magnificent ideas to change our broken systems into regenerative ones, into something desirable and beautiful, into something we want. Creativity can help us build a culture that is attractive for a new set of values and to go to the next version of what our society should be.

With your background as a social entrepreneur focusing on sustainability and female empowerment: Tell us, how can creatives take that step from envisioning something to implementing it?

Looking back I can say: I never had a master plan. If I had known everything needed for the businesses, I probably wouldn't have done it. It's just a lot! So, whether it’s a podcast, film or design done in a different way, you need to take that first step and not overthink it. Instead try to learn as you go along. Allow yourself to be a bit naive and dare to dream and believe in your project.

Sometimes the complexities of the world seem intimidating.

There’s no alternative. Otherwise, we as human beings living today will suffocate in apathy. We can't change everything. That’s for sure. But if you work on something that gives you energy and that’s improving something, you will be happier and that again is going to boost your creative energy. So, I would say start small and be yourself.

What else does it take to craft a desirable and sustainable future in your view?

I am convinced that we need a new perception of beauty to transform our society, because beauty is something we strive for. It's simply a part of our human nature. Our current perception of it dates back 60 to 70 years and is more or less equivalent to mass consumption, meaning beauty is something you can take or buy such as a piece of fabric. But that way of thinking is ruining our planet, so we need to let go of that.

How do we do that?

Yes, it’s very hard to let go if we don't have anything attractive to replace it. Initially, we should view beauty more as a philosophical and emotional concept that can help us introduce more sustainable practices. It has to do with values.

Can you give an example?

Let’s take our phones for instance. By buying it, we very likely contributed to a system that’s not very beautiful, but horrible. And we’re all part of it and we often feel super guilty when we buy things.

How can we solve that problem?

We should start thinking about beauty in terms of equitable systems, where the way things are made and the thoughts behind the process are equally beautiful as the look of something. That way we can connect to the creator and that gives us a different perspective on beauty. As creatives we can contribute by stopping to spend our energy on doing beautiful campaigns for dysfunctional value chains.

Let’s illustrate your point by looking at the fashion industry, which you’ve been part of for several years.

Yes, fashion is cool. We all want it. It plays on all psychological factors that create a world of desirability. But there are problems, the biggest being the seasons. They are probably the root cause of the problems as they nurture the desire for newness and produce all that waste. And then there’s also the fact that only a small fraction of people working in the industry can live from it.

How did you deal with those problems when you started Carcel, a luxury fashion label that employed imprisoned women as sewers?

We had a very different approach to design. We didn’t think so much about an end product at the beginning. We thought about what makes sense from a resource perspective. What is the local material? Where do we find people that are extremely gifted in their craft? How can we create employment for some of the most marginalized people – women in prison – without making it a charity project? That’s how we ended up in prisons in Peru and Thailand. Most of the women came from low-income communities and rural communities – which deal with poverty, drug trafficking, theft, prostitution. We brought in the machines and training. They offered their craftsmanship. It was a great privilege and we honored that by paying wages that resonated with the living standards in the outside world. So, the idea of Carcel was to use the cultural power of beauty and replace the fashion industry’s faulty structures.

Young creatives often feel the challenge to reconcile their aspirations with their values?

Absolutely. I see fashion designers grappling with the notion of contributing to systems that conflicts their beliefs. Many young creatives are struggling to find a professional avenue that not only allows for creative expression but also aligns with their moral compass. It's a prevalent feeling that shouldn't be dismissed lightly.

Or is it simply a lack of direction?

It's not so much a lack of direction or a feeling of being lost as it is a profound awareness of the world's complexities. It's about feeling morally conflicted, particularly when it comes to financial stability. This is where the real dilemma arises.

How can that be solved in your view?

One crucial aspect is to stay true to your moral compass. It's a journey, and none of us are immune to compromises, but holding onto our values is paramount. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who share your vision. These conversations and connections are invaluable. The landscape is changing, and movements advocating for change are gaining momentum.