Santa Claus is real, folks and he’s a lot better looking than you might expect. Put it this way — we wouldn’t mind being on this Santa’s naughty list. We’re talking about Fashion Santa, who’s a successful model and Instagram star. He stopped by SoFlo to deliver gifts and fashion statements.
Santa Claus did come to town, and the only list he’s checking twice is what’s in his wardrobe.
We met up with Fashion Santa at the Neiman Marcus in Bal Harbour to go behind-the-scenes of his 305 photoshoot.
Jolly Saint Nick was dressed to the nines!
Paul Mason, Fashion Santa: “Neiman Marcus just went to town on me. This is amazing. I can’t ask for better.”
Hadley Henriette, Neiman Marcus Bal Harbour: “He is very big online, he’s got a great social media presence and Neiman Marcus Bal Harbour has their own social media feed. So we kind of wanted to do something special with that.”
Fashion Santa’s real name is Paul Mason. He’s been a model for decades but created his alter ego a few years ago after his mother died.
Paul Mason: “In my grief, I kind of slept for a year and grew this massive beard and woke up looking like Santa. Thought I’d put this character together to see what it could be.”
He went viral when he snapped a selfie with fellow Canadian Justin Bieber and was featured in a shoot for a mall in Toronto.
Paul Mason: “It went local, then it went national and it just blew up.”
He isn’t just a good-looking Santa, but a giving one as well.
He parked his sleigh in Bal Harbour for the last stop on his Ritz-Carlton Fashion Santa tour.
Cynthia Boyett, Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour: “Every cocktail that is purchased and every selfie that is taken, we are donating back to the Boys & Girls Club.”
Paul Mason: “Any initiative that I do or any partnership that I do, there’s a component of charity.”
Before he traveled back to the North Pole, we had one last question for Fashion Santa.
Does grooming the beard ever get old?
Paul Mason: “August, 100 percent humidity — that’s brutal.”
Be on the lookout: Fashion Santa and Neiman Marcus Bal Harbour will be posting more pictures from the photoshoot on their Instagram.
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