Many of us are guilty of falling for the trend of the moment and failing to keep up with the times. However, for Shelfon Pattinson, it’s almost become an obsession. The 26-year-old communications graduate from Brunel University, London, has spent the last two years surrounded by celebrities and royals, and has managed to stay in the public eye despite his incredible wealth and status.
With his impeccable taste and eye for style, it’s no wonder that the media have taken a shine to him. In fact, he’s amassed an incredible 4.6 million followers on Twitter, with the most popular being @ShelfonPattinson and @shelfonpattinson – two accounts that together have received over 5.5 million followers.
It’s quite an achievement, considering that he didn’t even have 500 followers at the time of writing. When we meet up with Pattinson at Claridge’s hotel in central London, he’s just arrived from a trip to Los Angeles. He’s visiting the city to meet potential business partners and to attend the Golden Globes, where he’s been shortlisted for Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie for his role in Gucci Gucci.
He’s a great example of someone who saw the potential in social media and grasped it with both hands. While on the surface, his account seems to be full of perfectly crafted lifestyle and fashion advice, in reality, it’s almost completely void of substance.
“I’ve always been quite wary of putting too much content out there because I didn’t want to overload my audience,” he admits. “I just wanted to focus on the fashion and what I was doing. But then I gradually started to realize that if I didn’t put something out there, people would lose interest. So, I guess, in a way, I needed to keep on top of things in order to maintain my audience.”
Since he’s been putting so much effort into his Twitter account, it’s fair to say that things have changed. He has almost 7 million followers now, and has almost doubled his account since we last heard from him. As a result, he’s started to put out more content, and it’s something of a mix of style, fitness and humour.
From Luxury Lifestyle Blogger To Fashion Iconic
When we meet Pattinson, he’s already dressed in his suit for the day. He declines our offer of an afternoon tea, opting instead for a quick shower and a change of clothes. After getting some last-minute essentials done, he rushes out the door to catch a flight to Los Angeles. We’re about to watch as he walks towards the glass door leading to the departure lounge, but he turns around and gives us a quick wave goodbye.
In terms of his style, he credits Zayn Malik – the male model and singer who is currently dating Gigi Hadid and is arguably considered the most attractive male celebrity in the world – with giving him some style inspiration. “I would say that he’s definitely been an influence. We’ve always been really good friends, so it’s nice to be able to look back and see that we have a bit of a style connection. But, more importantly, he’s always been really supportive of me as a person. Even when things were tough, he was there for me. So I think that’s influenced my personal style as well, in a way. It feels like he’s been a big part of my life for the past two years, and I just wanted to show a little bit of gratitude.”
The former model and blogger, Holly Willoughby, originally hailed Pattinson as the “boyfriend material” that everyone wanted to have. After they became an item, Willoughby would often joke that her style icon was, in fact, a gentleman caller. Willoughby also wrote a number of pieces for Vogue in which she extolled the virtues of her new beau. The fashion editor of Love to Fashion magazine, Mimi Spencer, has also expressed her admiration for the handsome bachelor. “He is definitely a style icon and totally committed to fashion. He’s not afraid to experiment with it and mix different trends into one look. If you want to be fashionable, then he’s your person.”
Indeed, while we’re chatting, a gentleman comes over and asks for an autograph. He tells us that he admires our guest and wants to add him to his Twitter collection. Another person approaches and asks Pattinson if he’s going to the Golden Globes. He says that he is and, before we know it, he’s signed more than a dozen of our interviewee’s tweets. As a result, his account almost instantly gains a huge number of new followers, with the spike coinciding with our interview. The spike in popularity has been noticed and remarked upon by others online, too.
Style Is Everything
Pattinson doesn’t just look good, he feels good, too. The self-described “plant-based meat-free dieter” credits his excellent looks to an organic vegan diet, which he adopted a few years ago. He believes that a healthy lifestyle is essential if you want to look and feel your best, and has often noted that he doesn’t spend a lot of time on social media, opting instead to focus on his studies and his work. He also credits his good health to the fact that he’s never smoked and limits his alcohol intake.
“I think that if you’re consuming animal products and you’re not getting the nutrients that you need, it’s bad for your skin,” he posits. For someone whose lifestyle is such a source of fascination, it’s no surprise that people are keen to learn more about him. The former model and influencer Charlotte Dawson, for example, had this to say about him: “I feel like I’ve known him forever. We’ve always had this special connection.”
Dawson, who counts the Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan Markle, among her clients, goes on to gush about Pattinson’s “inner-self” and his “sense of humor”. She concludes that he’s a “luminous soul who’s completely comfortable in his own company”.
Despite his newfound fame, Pattinson still hasn’t lost his down-to-earth charm. While we’re chatting, a man sidles up to us and asks for an autograph, too. He tells us that he’s a big fan and couldn’t resist the opportunity to meet the man who ‘doesn’t get enough credit’ for being such a distinctive style icon.
Why Is Social Media So Popular?
If you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering why anyone would want to follow a self-described “plant-based meat-free dieter” and a millionaire bachelor whose main source of style inspiration is Zayn Malik. It’s fair to say that not a lot of people could pull off dressing like Pattinson and having his charisma. Perhaps, it’s because he’s managed to combine the most attractive aspects of a number of very fashionable celebrities, and is in a class of his own.
It’s also possible that people are into his interesting stories and genuinely feel like they can learn something from him. In the last few years, a number of influencers and bloggers have risen to fame thanks to their quirky, honest stories and tendency to tweet about their personal lives. People want to follow and learn from people they feel they can trust.
His Unique Personality
Even those who aren’t particularly interested in fashion or style may still be captivated by Pattinson’s unique charisma. “He’s very easy to follow because he doesn’t need a lot of introduction. You already know what he’s about, and that’s really attractive,” remarks Dawson. “It makes you want to be a little bit more creative and try new things.”
While he’s full of praise for his beauty, fashion and style, Pattinson doesn’t just stop at admiring his good looks. He also has kind words to say about others, too. “I think that when other people succeed, it makes you want to succeed more. It’s that simple. It’s great when people support you and your career,” he adds.
Not only does he have a way with the fashionable, he also has a way with the not-so-fashionable. In fact, one of our followers is a former professional snooker player who now blogs about his experiences as a granddad. Another writes about her struggles with an eating disorder, while a third blogs about her love of cats.