AN equestrian sportswear designer from the region is set to make her first million this year at just 21 years of age.

Jordan McCabe launched Aztec Diamond Equestrian at her family’s County Durham farm in May 2014 and since then the business has gone from strength to strength, turning over a six figure sum last year.

And with a 50 per cent increase forecast for the first half of this year alone, and a new collection unveiled at the weekend, it seems there is no stopping the talented young entrepreneur.

Miss McCabe, a keen show jumping rider, created her first collection after spotting a gap in the market for an affordable, fashionable active clothing brand that offered women style and function.

Darlington and Stockton Times: DREAM: Jordan McCabe, 21, has dreamed of being a designer since she was a little girl

DREAM: Jordan McCabe, 21, has dreamed of being a designer since she was a little girl

“I always wanted to wear the top brands that all the leading show jumpers wore but everything was so expensive,” said Miss McCabe, of North Bitchburn, near Crook.

“My mum had once bought me a fabulous pair of breeches from an Italian brand and after falling off, which happens quite regularly when you ride horses, they were ruined and I didn’t dare face my mum and tell her.

“It got me thinking, how could I create a range of clothing for girls like me who wanted stylish well-made clothing without the hefty price tag?”

But Miss McCabe’s dream of creating an equestrian clothing can be traced further back than this. The former Wolsingham School pupil has been designing clothes since she was a little girl.

When she was 17 Miss McCabe’s grandmother passed away and she invested her inheritance into creating the brand, which is named after her horse Aztec Diamond. Shortly after this, her mother left her job in local government to become joint director and the young designer’s dream fast became a reality.

Darlington and Stockton Times:

Miss McCabe believes the key to her success is using social media as her shop window, creating huge worldwide demand for her products by sharing stylised photographs and engaging with her 100,000 Instagram followers.

She manages all aspects of the company, from marketing to design and product development. Her manufacturing is done throughout Europe and she regularly travels out to the factories to ensure quality meets her high standards.

Since introducing fitness leggings and leisurewear, the 21-year-old has opened up her audience to include the wider athletics market. Aztec Diamond Equestrian was also one of the first brands to introduce riding leggings in 2014. Miss McCabe is now working on pre-teen and menswear ranges

She said: “I am my own customer and I am designing products that I would want to wear. I would never want to sell a product that I wouldn’t invest in. I’ve always believed in my designs and hoped to do well but I never expected it to get this big so quickly. It’s amazing.”