Jordan McCabe has only ever wanted to design equestrian clothing – and participating in show jumping help her to identify a gap in the market in accessible, affordable attire for fashion-conscious females. Through her business, Aztec Diamond, Jordan has led a revolution in the industry – and now plans to widen its reach beyond equestrianism and into the mainstream sports market. Here, we learn more about the North East-based venture reaching new heights around the world.
For many young girls, designing outfits complete with glitter and sparkles is part and parcel of growing up. But for Jordan McCabe, now a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and founder of one of the UK’s leading equestrian clothing brands, her childhood doodles were rooted in something more.
“I’ve still got a folder with all of my designs that I created when I was ten or 11 years old. When I looked back through them more recently, I realised that as well as creating products, I had also always created brands along side them,” says Jordan.
“So even from that age, while I wasn’t necessarily planning an economical business, I’ve always had that awareness of the importance of the designs and the brand.
“Designing equestrian clothing is all I’ve ever wanted to do – and while what you see now is less pink and sparkly than what I was designing back then, the roots of what we produce today are absolutely there in that folder.”
And from those early designs came Aztec Diamond, the brand named after Jordan’s beloved first horse, which has truly redefined the equestrian clothing market.
Established in 2014, Aztec Diamond is credited with introducing the legging/tight into the market, which has since become a staple of female equestrian wear globally.
Through her own experience of riding, Jordan realised the gap that existed for affordable, functional clothing for fashion-conscious young women, in a sport which was already financially draining for so many families. This focus on fashion-forward, accessibly-priced products continues to underpin the work of the business.
And with ongoing growth through the continuing popularity of Aztec Diamond’s regularly-released new collections, Jordan – who has won a multitude of prestigious awards, including Lloyds Bank New Entrepreneur of the Year and being part of the Forbes 30 Under 30 list – is driven every day to ensure her childhood dream continues to thrive.
“I have spent the last ten years learning how to create the best calibre of sports wear and I want to take this as far as we can go,” says Jordan.
“There are so many opportunities for Aztec Diamond, including in the mainstream sports market, and I want to build further on what we have done so far.”
Hailing from a working-class family in the North East, Jordan’s developing interest in horses during her teenage years came with the realisation that to look the part in equestrianism came at quite a cost.
“As a teenager, I often felt inadequate, the vast majority of my peers were wearing certain super-exclusive brands, which my family couldn’t afford. Back then, there was nothing available at a high street price point,” she recalls.
“There was a massive difference between the lowest priced ranges and the exclusive ranges, with nothing in between.
“I knew this was something I wanted to address, and I had a plan in my head of exactly what I wanted to do, when I was a teen I remember not daring tell anyone in case they stole my idea!”
After leaving school, Jordan studied textiles and business at college and wrote business plans to articulate and develop her ideas. Sadly, at this time Jordan’s grandmother passed away, leaving her inheritance to Jordan’s mother, Jane.
“To create this business was all I’d ever wanted, and my mum took a chance on me and used the money from my grandma to support me,” says Jordan.
“My mum didn’t have any experience in business, she worked in local government, but she joined me. A year later, she left her job to work with me full-time.
“Neither of us had any specific experience in launching a business of this kind. I worked with a friend of a friend who helped me understand aspects like product and design development and how to find factories, but for a lot of things I watched tutorial videos on YouTube and learnt as I went.”
Aztec Diamond was born – and the revolution in equestrian wear was beginning. Jordan, aged only 18, was about to lead the change in affordable, functional fashion for young female horse riders.
The creation of the legging/tight – a product now synonymous with equestrian clothing – proved to be central in Aztec Diamond’s impact on a global scale, as well as its identification that the market needed to be more consumer-focused.
“To be able to afford my horses’ keep, I used to work on the yard my horse was kept at on weekends and after school. Early mornings when I had ten horses to muck out, I loved to pull on a pair of comfy leggings – but when had to ride the horses, I had to get changed. I saw a gap in the market,” says Jordan.
“When I launched the business, there wasn’t a product like this [the legging/tight] available, and we have brought that to the market.
“Also, when I set up, I realised that one of the reasons products were so super expensive was that they were sold B2B. We have revolutionised the industry by selling directly to the consumer online, and now so much of the industry has followed suit.
“I’m really proud of what we have created, and how we have led the change.”
But as with all trailblazers, rivals are keen to replicate the ideas which scored their competitor such success. This is an issue Aztec Diamond continues to contend with.
“It is difficult and very frustrating,” admits Jordan.
“There are businesses out there who have copied everything, from our designs to our brand story. It’s sometimes quite hard to deal with.
“Customers can’t see the quality of our products for themselves through shopping online, and the quality of our designs is something that really differentiates us. So that is difficult.
“But we are introducing new products and designs all the time, we’re always launching new campaigns, so we’re working hard to make sure we continue to be at the forefront of the market.”
With Aztec Diamond now firmly established as a key player in the equestrian market, the rise of the ‘sports luxe’ fashion trend has created opportunities for the brand in the wider world of fashion. This is an avenue Jordan is keen to exploit the potential of.
“I’ve spent ten years completely focused on creating the highest calibre products, which are durable and hard-wearing for such an extreme sport and which have had such fantastic feedback from our customers,” she says.
“Due to the demands of the business, I don’t own a horse anymore, but I wear Aztec Diamond clothing every day. We’re finding many of our customers are the same.
“While we launched as an equestrian brand, the quality and design of our products mean they can be used every day, and for so many more purposes than riding.
“This is something we’re really keen to drive forward over the next couple of years and see where it takes us.”
Having started her journey as an entrepreneur with a clear idea of the business she wanted to create, but having to gain the knowledge and experience as she went in terms of achieving that, Jordan has learned lessons along the way.
“Patience is something I’ve had to learn,” she admits.
“When I was building the business at first, there were some issues with cash flow and stock. We’d have to sell the products to generate the cash to be able to buy again, and I was always in such a rush to get the products into the warehouse.
“But now, I realise the importance of being patient with your product. If I’m not 100 per cent happy with it, it doesn’t go out. One of the best bits of advice I could give is to be patient with your products. Take your time until it’s exactly what you want it to be.”
As Jordan continues to look to the future, there is one notable change from the past nine years – the absence of her mother Jane, who Jordan has recently bought out of the business so she can enjoy her retirement.
“My mum has always been there with support and advice, anything I’ve needed, so it will be strange without her. But I know we’re both so ready for this next step,” says Jordan.
“I want to continue what we have built and take it so much further.”
For more information, visit www.aztecdiamond.com
