Meet Raquel Tavares Gunsagar | Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Raquel Tavares Gunsagar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Raquel, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Honestly? It all started with a month in Paris and Bordeaux, under the noble guise of “learning
French.” (Spoiler: I came back fluent in spritzes, not french.)

What really struck me was how effortlessly the French drink—light, casual, chic, like they were
born knowing how to pair a citrus peel with existential dread. Their cocktails weren’t just
delicious; they were stylish, sophisticated, and had this je ne sais quoi that made me go,
“Okay, America, we need to step it up.”

Also, this isn’t my first time at the rodeo. Paramour is my second CPG brand, and after building
4th & Heart, I knew two things: 1) I love creating brands that bring sleepy categories back to life,
and 2) I really love doing that while surrounded by beautiful liquids in pretty glass bottles. So I
took all the lessons (and trauma) from brand #1 and poured them—quite literally—into
Paramour.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
First of all, it’s not all sipping cocktails and moodboarding. (Okay, some of it is.) But mostly,
building a brand like Paramour takes Olympic-level persistence, emotional endurance, and an
unhinged amount of label redesigns.

My work is rooted in a love for building brands that feel alive—modern, relatable, and just a little
cheeky. I want people to not just drink Paramour, but identify with it . To feel like, “Yes, this is
the drink version of my aspirational alter ego.”

Behind every sleek bottle is about 500 hours of problem-solving, self-doubt, packaging
meltdowns, and very patient friends who’ve had to listen to me say the words “apertif-forward”
97 times. But I love it. I truly do.

Would I recommend entrepreneurship to everyone? Only if you're cool with crying in your car
one day and celebrating with champagne the next. It’s the ride of a lifetime, and I wouldn’t
change a thing.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh, we’re doing the full LA vibe tour.

We’re starting at Belle’s Beach House in Venice—tropical, fun, and the ideal place to pretend
we live on a reality show but with better lighting. Then we’ll roll over to Great White because no

one hates a good Aussie brunch. For a casual lunch that feels like you’re too cool to care (but
you definitely care), KazuNori is always the move. And if we’re feeling fabulous (we are), it’s
dinner at Madeo’s in West Hollywood. Old-school, iconic, slightly mob-adjacent in aesthetic.
Perfect.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Oh, I have to give a massive, sparkly, champagne-toast-level shoutout to my dear friend Kara
Smith, founder of KES Studio. She is—without question—one of the most patient, brilliant, and
humble humans I’ve ever known.

You know those people who make you feel calmer just by standing near them? That’s Kara.
Meanwhile, I’m over here panicking about Pantone swatches. She’s a design genius and a real
one.

Website: Website: [www.houseofparamour.com](http://www.houseofparamour.com)

Instagram: Instagram: [@drinkparamour](https://www.instagram.com/drinkparamour)

Other: Pricing (Optional)
SRP: $39.99
Worth every penny. Tastes like a European summer fling—but more reliable.
Or find Paramour in LA at:
�� Belle’s Beach House (Venice)
This place feels like what would happen if a surf shack and a Tulum influencer had a baby—and
I mean that in the best way. It’s tropical, vibey, and the cocktails go down *way* too easy (which
is exactly how I like my evenings). If you don’t leave here feeling at least 12% hotter than when
you arrived, go back and order another round.
�� 1 Hotel West Hollywood
If I could move into the lobby, I would. It smells like eucalyptus and ambition. I go here when I
need to feel centered, inspired, and like someone who definitely doesn’t have 37 unread Slack
messages. Pro tip: order a drink at Juniper Lounge, pretend you’re closing a big deal, and enjoy
the peak WeHo energy.
�� Oldfield’s (Culver City)
Dim lights. Great cocktails. Bartenders who take their craft *very* seriously but still smile at your
dad jokes. This place is a little retro, a little sexy, and has strong “I read Bukowski but in a
healthy way” energy. One of my favorite spots for a classic drink with zero pretense.
�� Paloma (Venice)
Paloma is where I go when I want to pretend I’m in a Nancy Meyers movie but make it Gen Z.
It’s bright, it’s beautiful, it’s impossibly photogenic—and so is the crowd. The food is a vibe, the
drinks are light and fresh, and if you sit outside on a sunny day, there’s a 90% chance you’ll
suddenly start romanticizing your entire life.

�� Esther’s Wine Shop & Bar (Santa Monica)
A wine bar that feels like a hug. If Belle’s is your flirty extrovert friend, Esther’s is the effortlessly
cool introvert who teaches you about natural wines while casually changing your life. It’s cozy,
curated, and the kind of place where every bottle feels like a story. Go for a glass, stay for the
vibes—and possibly the entire cheese plate.

Sales: sales@drinkparamour.com

Investment: www.sipparamour.com