And talented Claudette, who also works part-time as a seamstress for a city centre bridal shop, has even bigger dreams – she hopes to sell her pieces in high street giant Topshop.

The designer graduated from Cardonald College almost three years ago with an HND in fashion and design manufacturing.

But it took her five years to pluck up the courage to go back to education after leaving school at 16.

The young entrepreneur, who is from Cardonald but now lives in Bothwell, South Lanarkshire, became a shop assistant when she left Lourdes Secondary.

She said: "I left school in 2003 and started working in Superdrug in Braehead. I kept saying I would go to college but I got used to earning money and put it off.

"Eventually I applied to the course and got accepted so I just went for it."

Claudette has always had a keen interest in fashion and loved art at school.

She said: "I have got hundreds and hundreds of books of my sketches and I was always really interested in drawing and art.

"I used to watch the Oscars with my mum and talk about all the dresses and cut pictures out from magazines.

"I always knew I wanted to work in the industry doing something but I didn't know how to get there."

Claudette bought a sewing machine and began making her own clothes or customising things she had bought.

She began with one-off couture pieces but has now launched ready-to-wear collections.

She said: "I have a wardrobe full of different fabrics.

"I go into a shop and look at things and think how I could make them better.

"If I'm going on a night out I'll try and make my own dress or top."

Claudette has turned the second bedroom in the flat she shares with boyfriend David into her design base.

She said: "I took over the flat with all my fabrics, clothes and my sewing machine.

"I hope to have my own studio in the next year."

Claudette says she would love to see big names like style icon Alexa Chung pictured, model-of-the-moment Cara Delevingne and It girl Daisy Lowe wear her clothes.

"I like their edgy, youthful style and I think they'd suit clothes from my collection," she said.

She admires Scots designers such as Newarthill-born Christopher Kane, but says that Italian duo Dolce and Gabbana are her inspiration.

She said: "They design their pieces for women. They understand curves and they embrace them.

"On the other end of the spectrum, I really like the work of Gareth Pugh because its very edgy and different."

Claudette, who released her first collection last year, uses fabrics like leather to create a tough, modern look.

She will release her second line next month and is taking part in the Nightwalk fashion show at the Arches next month.

Claudette says her mum Bernadette and dad Jim can't believe she's made it this far so quickly.

She said: "They are really excited but they are surprised.

"When I left school I told them I'd go back and train for this but they didn't really think I'd do it. They see how hard I work and I think they're really proud."

Her clothes are on sale at several retailers, including the ASOS Marketplace and online store The Pokey Hat.

And Claudette hopes to keep building on her success.

"I'd love to eventually have a line in somewhere like Topshop," she said. "It's exactly the sort of place I'd see my clothes being sold, and I know they have different designers downstairs in the Glasgow store.

"It's surreal how everything has happened so far."

l For more information and all stockists visit Claudette's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/byclaudette