A Mexican startup called Someone Somewhere is making waves in the fashion world by proving that AI can create jobs, especially for local artisans.

Founded by longtime friends Antonio Nuño, Fatima Alvarez, and Enrique Rodriguez, the company works with rural artisans across Mexico to incorporate traditional handcrafts into modern clothing and accessories. Since its inception in 2016, the company has helped artisans formalize businesses, access banking, and provide steady incomes for their families.

In 2023, a breakthrough came when Someone Somewhere used Stable Diffusion AI to design and share concept images of products made with artisanal techniques on platforms like LinkedIn. One of these AI-generated images—a concept of a Mexican National Team soccer jersey branded with Adidas—went viral, garnering over 1 million views.

Within a day, Adidas reached out, and within weeks, the two companies agreed to collaborate. By June 2023, the partnership culminated in the release of hand-embroidered Mexican National Team jerseys, crafted by women artisans from Puebla, Mexico.

The viral AI post not only brought international attention to Someone Somewhere but also demonstrated the potential of using AI to preserve traditional crafts and create jobs. Through collaborations with brands like Google, Uber, and Amazon, the company has been able to scale rapidly, producing more than 10 million items in the past year alone.

Nuño attributes the company's recent growth to AI, explaining that it accelerates product development, allowing them to showcase concepts faster and forge partnerships more easily. This AI-driven approach also helped the startup expand its customer base and land contracts with global companies, including an exclusive deal with Apple, via Nimble, for sustainable electronic accessories.