Paris Raquel
From setbacks to success
A few years back, we were looking for a model for one of our super fun vintage clothing shoots, and a friend introduced us to the inside & out gorgeous Paris Raquel.
Eight years as a fashion model in New York and living up to its expectations did not complement her spirit, so she moved home for a sabbatical and focused on her health. A decision we applaud, because it's not a reflection of one’s strength, but more of boundaries and self-love. Paris is a tough cookie.
A traumatic brain injury in 2017 propelled her on a holistic path to healing, and she is now certified in holistic wellness, nutrition and breathwork. She's also a smart cookie.
Healing and looking inward, she revisited modeling with a new mindset. Then we got our little paws on her and are lucky to call her a chosen family member.
A true Southern California-born & raised girl, Paris Raquel reminds us to be present and practice self-care in all its forms. She is generous with her time and spirit and an absolute joy to work/play/hang with. And she dresses cute!
Paris’s personal style is classic meets streetwear; from vintage to contemporary pieces based in neutrals with pops of color and gold accessories, comfort and ease are always key.
She’s a multi-faceted Jaqueline of All Trades; model, actor, certified in holistic wellness and nutrition, and a fabulously fun restaurant server. Please follow her on Instagram @parisraquel_
What books are you reading right now?
You can find me flipping back and forth between a fiction and non-fiction book and one devotional-esque book.
A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson, The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy, Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro.
A Return to Love is a reflection on A Course In Miracles. It teaches us to focus on the light and love within and to let go of the rest.
The Compound Effect is a book about making small, smart, and intentional choices that build up over time to create the life you desire!
Thanks to a Book Club I am a part of, Klara and the Sun is my current fiction book. This book is INCREDIBLE. I won’t spoil it for you, just go and read it!!
What is your idea of the perfect day?
My idea of the perfect day starts with coffee and a morning walk with my dog, London.
I’ll usually use this time to pray, take deep breaths, and sometimes even call one of my friends on east coast time! I think of it as filling up my cup first thing before the day even really starts.
The rest of the morning would be spent journaling, making breakfast, watching some Gilmore Girls, and reading. Now it’s time to spend a few hours at the beach!
The beach is my ultimate happy place and living in Los Angeles, I recognize just how deeply I am manifesting a future home by the water!
After the beach, it’s time for a post-beach shower and making dinner. I love to cook (especially cooking for and sharing a meal with loved ones), so being able to have the resource of time to cook anything my heart desires, is the ultimate treat!
Life is busy here in Los Angeles, and the ability to flow through my day in this way would be perfect <3
What piece of advice would you give your younger self?
“Everything is happening FOR you, not to you.”
We can oftentimes think of rejection as the ultimate heartbreak; like we are being robbed of what we believe is best for us when, in reality, every “rejection” is just a redirection back to God’s plan and purpose for your life.
Faith to me is an action word. It is a choice of aligning your faith with your thoughts, words, and actions. Knowing that you are here for a divine reason allows fear to dissipate quicker than trying to cling tightly to things that are not meant for us.
Beautiful things really do take time, and you are exactly where you are meant to be!
If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?
I would be a Willow Tree 100%!
In the spiritual world, Willows represent balance, growth, and harmony; oftentimes thought to protect you and hold deep, ancestral wisdom.
The Willow Tree is here to give us hope, allowing us to let go of fear, pain, and suffering, and giving us permission to begin again.
I believe we are meant to be the light of this world for eachother and recognizing the strength within us when we come from a place of universal love <3