PARIS — A 60-year-old man became a fashion model after photos featuring his long beard went viral online.

Philippe Dumas, who lives in Paris, had to look for a new job after the company he worked for went bankrupt seven months ago. He started growing a beard for fun and surprisingly, it attracted a lot of attention.

Dumas gained fame after a Reddit post of his stylish photos went viral. The photo post was initially shared on Imgur, which has almost 456,000 views.

He then went to see modelling agencies. With his internet fame and the trendy beard look, he was successfully booked by six agencies.

Dumas studied law but he never practiced it. He worked as a unit manager in the movie business and advertising for 20 years before he began his modelling career at the age of 60.

“I really love what I am doing and get great pleasure from doing it. What else could I ask for? Maybe to work for a huge international campaign like Chanel or Dior. We all have dreams. And this buzz could help. Who knows,” Dumas told Boredpanda.

Do you want to turn your life around? Try growing a beard!