You might not be able to sit on his lap, but Yorkdale Mall’s “Fashion Santa” is happy to take a selfie with you. For this holiday season the man in red has been given a hipster makeover—the Toronto mall has turned good old Saint Nick into an Instagram-primed lumbersexual.
“I often say I’m Santa’s younger brother — the thinner version,” Paul Mason, the model playing Fashion Santa, told the CBC.
Decked out in designer duds—his signature crimson velvet blazer is Ferragamo—and ready to strike a high fashion pose, Fashion Santa doesn’t need reindeer, or elves, to inspire cheer. Mason is a Kris Kringle for adults, and he’s relishing the role.
“On Saturday, I had a woman, she must have been 70 years old, she said, ‘I haven’t taken a photo with Santa since I was like five’ … so I love it.”
I think the #YorkdaleFashionSanta may actually be a #Jedi in disguise. #StarWars #FashionSanta pic.twitter.com/aRwSBcwlgz
— alouzon (@alouzon) December 5, 2015
Fashion Santa isn’t just in town to fuel a thousand memes, he’s also helping raise money for a good cause. For every photo tagged with #YorkdaleFashionSanta, the mall will donate $1 to SickKids—they’re willing to go up to $10,000.
The mall also has a more traditional Santa for visiting kids, and you can sit on his lap.
