From high school dropout to creating the new ASOS: How a 16-year-old overcame

From high school dropout to creating the new ASOS: How a 16-year-old overcame depression to build online shopping empire - and it all started with a $15 bikini
Paris Marchant, 16, and her partner Lawrence Lees, 20, started a business
Paris started the company after buying and selling bikinis off eBay
Generation Outcast Clothing was founded in January this year
The clothes are bought wholesale from Sydney and shipped internationally
Paris started the business after she left school in Year 9 due to depression
Outcast Clothing is aimed at teenage girls with ready to wear styles
The business has more than 152,000 Instagram followers
Paris Marchant first realised she could make a profit out of selling clothes when she saw a $15 bikini for sale on eBay.
She posted a status on Facebook asking if any of her friends would like to buy one, and in December last year, she turned her first profit.
Just nine months later, the 16-year-old and her partner Lawrence Lees, 20, have built their own fashion empire – Generation Outcast Clothing.
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Fashion forward: After buying and selling bikinis from eBay, Paris Marchant build her own fashion empire
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Fashion forward: After buying and selling bikinis from eBay, Paris Marchant build her own fashion empire
Business savvy: Paris Marchant (right) and her partner Lawrence Lees founded Generation Outcast Clothing
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Business savvy: Paris Marchant (right) and her partner Lawrence Lees founded Generation Outcast Clothing
Generation Outcast Clothing with ideas on what to wear to a festival
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‘Me and my partner Lawrence went to Bali in January and over there we bought some clothing,’ Paris told Daily Mail Australia.
‘We brought it back and started doing markets in Glebe in Sydney.
‘We had a great response from that and would make a few grand ever Saturday.’
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Solid grounding: Lawrence and Paris started their business with a stall at Sydney's Glebe markets, an online website and Instagram page
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Solid grounding: Lawrence and Paris started their business with a stall at Sydney's Glebe markets, an online website and Instagram page
Target market: Paris chooses all the clothes they sell, looking for on-trend styles at affordable prices
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Target market: Paris chooses all the clothes they sell, looking for on-trend styles at affordable prices
Paris and Lawrence, of Belmont New South Wales, started an online website and Instagram page, shipping their clothes to clients across the Australia.
They started buying their clothes wholesale from Sydney, and in June this year began to ship internationally.
In less than a year, Paris and Lawrence had turned an idea in to a profitable business with a 152,000 strong Instagram following - making what was their yearly salary in just one month.
Paris Marchant: high school dropout to fashion queen
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Wholesale Bikinis Wholesale Sexy Bikini Wholesale Sexy Swimwear Sexy Lingerie Outlet Online Sale Wholesale For Women At www.lover-fashion.com Duration Time 0:45
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Social status: Instagram has been a solid platform for building their business and Outcast Clothing now has more than 152,000 followers
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Social status: Instagram has been a solid platform for building their business and Outcast Clothing now has more than 152,000 followers
Paris started the business after she left school in Year 9 due to clinical depression.
Throughout high school Paris had felt isolated, she attended school in Dungog, New South Wales, and felt like she didn’t belong.
‘I didn’t think life could get better,’ she said.
‘But if you find what you love and get in to a new environment, time does fix everything.’
Finding her passion: Paris, who left school in Year 9 after battling clinical depression, found happiness through starting her own business
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Finding her passion: Paris, who left school in Year 9 after battling clinical depression, found happiness through starting her own business
Paris said the main contributor to their success was social media.
Generation Outcast Clothing is targeted at girls Paris’ own age, and Instagram is how they stay connected.
‘We have more than 150,000 Instagram followers now and they’re all organic,’ Paris said.
Where it began: Paris founded the business on swimwear, after selling bikinis she bought through eBay
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Where it began: Paris founded the business on swimwear, after selling bikinis she bought through eBay
On trend: Generation Outcast Clothing focus on ready-to-wear designs that are affordable for teenage girls
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On trend: Generation Outcast Clothing focus on ready-to-wear designs that are affordable for teenage girls
‘To get noticed online you have to have a social media presence.’
The clothes they sell are chosen by Paris, who keeps their ready-to-wear style on trend and affordable.
‘Young girls on a tight budget are able to afford nice clothes,’ she said.
Art of design: Going in to the future Paris hopes to design her own clothes
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Art of design: Going in to the future Paris hopes to design her own clothes
Going in to the future, Paris said she hoped to make Generation Outcast Clothing a house-hold name.
They are set to launch a new website in a few weeks’ time, and hope to inspire other young people to live a life of purpose and believe in themselves.
Paris said one day she hoped to start designing her own clothes.
Anyone who is suffering from depression or mental health issues should contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 (Australia), the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1800 273 8255 (USA) or the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 (UK), or a local help group.