Aztec Diamond

Aztec Diamond is an equestrian wear brand considered to have pioneered the way in making horse riding clothing more fashionable and feminine. Founder Jordan McCabe grew up participating in showjumping, and as a fashion-conscious 18 year old, was frustrated at the tune by the lack of technical and fashionable sports wear available to the equestrian market. In 2014, from her family home in County Durham, McCabe pursued the fulfillment of a childhood dream to develop her own sportswear brand. Aztec Diamond was born, named after McCabe’s own horse.

Among the first products to be designed and launched were the Aztec Diamond leggings. Aztec Diamond were actually arguably the first brand to manufacture riding tights as opposed to traditional jodhpurs or breeches, and today riding tights or riding leggings are incredibly popular with riders of all ages, worn for both training and competing. Aztec Diamond riding tights were inspired by the comfort, technicality and breathability of gym leggings, with added technical features for comfort in the saddle, such as silicone print for grip and mesh panels at the calves for a streamlined fit under tall riding boots. Aztec Diamond base layers were designed with a similar motivation – inspired by the technical features and comfort of base layers designed for sports wear, these training tops are extremely comfortable and breathable, and look great too. It is this combination of technicality and modern fashion that continues to make Aztec Diamond stand out as a revolutionary brand of equestrian apparel. This initially modest collection of leggings and base layers continues to be part of the Aztec Diamond core range, with subtle changes made to the collection every season, as well as new colourways released.

The brand gained popularity very quickly, and so the range began to grow. McCabe gradually gave up riding to focus on the growth of her business, continuing to live a very active and busy lifestyle but wanting to look and feel good while doing so. This lifestyle was reflected in the product range, with pieces designed to be comfortable and look flattering while lounging, training at the gym, running errands, or riding. Today, Aztec Diamond manufacture so much more than the original leggings and base layers, including breeches, T-shirts, competition wear, and accessories. The range continues to be incredibly versatile, and Aztec Diamond clothing wouldn’t look out of place while shopping or enjoying the outdoors, regardless of its inception as an equestrian brand.

Aztec Diamond continues to be designed and styled in-house in the north east of England. In recent years, McCabe gained her place on the highly prestigious “Forbes 30 under 30” list, and has been the recipient of multiple entrepreneurial awards.

The brand gained popularity very quickly with a young audience, continuing to prove popular with teenagers and young adults today. Such popularity saw the release of the Aztec Diamond Young Rider range, maintaining the performance-inspired technical features and fabrics of the original ladies’ range, with a fun twist in terms of colours and branding. Aztec Diamond work with influencers to develop ranges that young riders are sure to love, including the extremely popular Harlow X AD range. The Aztec Diamond Pony Club approved beige leggings dominate the modern Pony Club training and competitions, with many younger riders choosing these leggings for their comfort in comparison with traditional, more restrictive breeches.

Aztec Diamond clothing is true to size. Much of the range, such as the base layers and leggings, is designed to be fitted and worn as a second skin rather than loose; if you prefer a loose fit, you are advised to size up, while those preferring a more fitted look are likely to find the pieces true to size. Much of the Aztec Diamond range is sized according to a XS, S, M, L and XL system – for advice on which size may suit, check out our Aztec Diamond Size Guide. The Young Rider range is sized according to age, but as children can grow at varying rates, the measurements on the size guide may be especially helpful. The technical fabric of the Aztec Diamond range is flattering and forgiving, and the pieces designed to be worn as a second skin have plenty of give, creating the perfect fit every time and giving a feeling of ‘holding you in’.

Equestrian wear has come a long way from the days of traditional suede seat jodhpurs, oversized fleeces and dreary waterproofs. Aztec Diamond paved the way in the modernisation of equestrian sportswear with a humble range of technical and flattering pieces designed for performance while looking great. Today the range includes hundreds of pieces chosen by riders of all ages from all over the world – and is still proudly designed and styled in-house in County Durham.

Aztec Diamond has a unique aesthetic, but if you like the look of these pieces, we think you may also like the equestrian range from Holland Cooper. If you’re looking to build a wardrobe of technical equestrian wear, you are likely to love Ariat, who put a great deal of research into the technical performance of their pieces.