Although being one of the few next gen male supermodels around may seem lonely, Alton Mason is swimming comfortably in a sea of plenty: plenty of accolades (including being crowned as Model of the Year five years in a row by Models.com and even becoming the first Black male model to walk for Chanel), plenty of famous friends (having been spotted cheek to cheek with the likes of Naomi Campbell to Lenny Kravitz) and plenty of opportunities (recently portraying Little Richard in Baz Luhrmann’s musical epic Elvis). But at his core, Alton’s dedication to creating art through the medium of fashion and movement remains unfazed, thus making him season after season one of—if not, the most—in-demand model in men’s fashion.

V MAGAZINE: What are three golden rules you try to live by? 

ALTON MASON: One: Be who you wanna be. Two: do what you wanna do. Three: trust what you feel!

V: Where do you think your ambition comes from?

AM: God.

V: What motivates you to strive for your best in what you do?

AM: My family, God, the people that have opened doors for me, it motivates me to open doors for others. The people I love, the people that inspire me, and Gods purpose for my life. 

V: Are there any self-motivation techniques/tricks you do to build yourself up?

AM: Calling my mom! Prayers, dancing in the mirror, singing my favorite songs! 

V: What helps you lock in your confidence during moments when you need “go for the gold”?

AM: I call my mom, she always brings me down to earth, reminds me who I am, and helps me lock in.

V: What is the most rewarding part of modeling? What is the least rewarding? 

AM: The most rewarding part of modeling for me is all the people I encounter that tell me I inspire them or show love and respect for the work I’ve put in. God always finds a way to remind me that this is bigger than me…so many doors have been opened for me to be where I am today in this industry, and now it’s an honor to open doors for others. There’s nothing that’s least rewarding about that. 

V: Tell us about a “golden age” in your life—a time you look back on super fondly. 

AM: Becoming the first black male model to walk for Chanel, wearing gold pants and gold boots!

V: What do you consider to be the “golden age” of fashion?

AM: The 90s and the early 2000s! 

V: In the spirit of going for the gold, what are you hoping to manifest for yourself both personally and professionally within the next 5-10 years?

AM: More self-love, grounded spirit, and amazing soul. Becoming closer to my highest self!

V: What, if anything, has already surprised you the most in 2025? 

AM: The way I feel after cutting my hair! I feel reborn. 

This cover story appears in the pages of V154: now available for purchase!

Photography Lufré

Fashion Nicola Formichetti

Hair Peter Gray (Home) using Oway USA  

Makeup Maki Ryoke (Walter Schupfer) using Bobbi Brown

Manicure Mo Qin (The Wall Group) using Aprés Nail 

Set Designer Robert Taylor 

Production Ernesto Qualizza (Locals Worldwide) 

Retouching Teu Freitas / Telhas Retouch ( M.Lages)

1st photo assistant Fernando Freire 

2nd photo assistant Daniel dos Santos 

Stylist assistants Arut Arustamyan, Vera Pun, Joan Reidy, Dylan Gue

Hair assistants Josie Tippman, D’Xenia, Rebecca Velez 

Makeup assistants Brenda Garcia Jaramillo, Talitha Daeng Situju, Tarina Meaders 

Manicure assistant Qin Huang

Set design assistants Cory Nelson, Buddy Kennedy 

Production assistant Amanda Winn 

Studio Satellite Space