Last updated: 3 October 2026
When Playboy called to tell Mahina Florence she had been named its 2026 Playmate of the Year, her first reaction was to ask whether they were sure they had the right person. They did. Playboy announced the title in the week of 29 September 2026, and she became the first Native Hawaiian woman to hold it.
For surf fans the name was already familiar, though often as a footnote. She is married to big-wave surfer Nathan Florence, and one surf magazine admitted it has a habit of introducing her through him. The record shows a career of her own: campaign modelling, surf broadcasting, a swimwear label she co-founded and a mural of her in ʻAiea that is reportedly the largest portrait in Hawaiʻi.
This profile follows that career, from a childhood on Oahu’s North Shore to the Playboy announcement. A note on category: Mahina Florence is a model and media personality. Belloria found no adult-film credits for her, and she is covered here as a Playboy Playmate, not as an adult-film performer.
Mahina Florence Quick Facts
| Full name | Mahina Nohealani Garcia Florence (maiden name Garcia, per Stab Magazine, 2020) |
| Born | Oahu, Hawaii; raised in Pūpukea on the North Shore |
| Birth date | Reported as 11 July 1995 by a single profile aggregator. Not independently confirmed, so her age is not stated here. |
| Occupation | Model, surf media personality, swimwear co-founder |
| Known for | Playboy 2026 Playmate of the Year |
| Playboy history | Miss April in the Winter 2025 to 2026 issue; 2026 Playmate of the Year |
| Modelling agency | Renew Models (as listed by Honolulu Magazine, March 2022) |
| Spouse | Nathan Florence, professional surfer (married 2020; the exact date is reported inconsistently) |
| Father | Kai “Borg” Garcia |
| Business | Co-founder, Maoi swimwear |
| @mahinaflorence |
Source note: Belloria could not open Playboy.com or Instagram directly. Facts that originate with Playboy’s own announcement, or with her own accounts and her own brand, are labelled as such below and are repeated here from independent outlets (Surfer, Stab Magazine, The Inertia, Honolulu Magazine, BeachGrit). Facts that appear in only one low-quality source are flagged or left out.
Who Is Mahina Florence?
Mahina Florence is a Hawaiian model and surf media personality from Oahu’s North Shore. She has modelled for major brands, worked as a beach reporter at the Vans Pipe Masters, co-founded the swimwear label Maoi, and in 2026 became Playboy’s Playmate of the Year. She is the daughter of North Shore figure Kai “Borg” Garcia and the wife of surfer Nathan Florence, whose brother is world champion John John Florence.
Early Life and Background
Mahina Florence was raised in Pūpukea on the North Shore of Oahu, a stretch of coast better known for its big waves than for fashion. Her father, Kai “Borg” Garcia, is described by Stab Magazine as Kauai-born and one of the North Shore’s best-known local figures. Playboy’s own profile of her, as quoted by independent outlets, says her family’s roots in Hawaii go back generations and that her days start with a beach walk and a swim.
On her heritage, she told Honolulu Magazine in 2022 that she is “over a quarter Hawaiian” and that her grandparents taught her to be proud of who she is. Playboy and several outlets now describe her as Native Hawaiian (Kānaka Maoli). The two descriptions are given here as each source states them.
A profile aggregator also lists her as having been scouted by a modelling agency at 15. That claim appears in only one low-quality source and is not repeated as fact.
Career
Modelling
In her 2022 Honolulu Magazine interview, Florence described entering an industry that did not always see women who looked like her as marketable. She said her agents warned she would not book many jobs at first, and that the demand changed as the industry became more inclusive. The magazine reported that she went on to work with Target, Lululemon, Nike and Coca-Cola and to appear in British Vogue, Shape and Forbes. Surfer and Stab Magazine repeated the list in 2026. Belloria could not confirm the campaigns with the brands themselves.
Honolulu Magazine’s coverage also tied her to a 14-story mural of her in ʻAiea by artist Kamea Hadar, which Stab Magazine says is reportedly the largest portrait in Hawaiʻi. In December 2023 BeachGrit, citing Hawaii News Now, reported that she walked in a Louis Vuitton fashion show in Hong Kong carrying a surfboard.
Surf media
Surfing has run through much of her work. According to Stab Magazine, she has appeared in Billabong projects, worked with the magazine on its series The Pick-Up and worked as a beach reporter at the Vans Pipe Masters. She also films her husband’s big-wave sessions, which Surfer describes as regularly documenting his attempts at some of the heaviest waves in the sport.
Maoi swimwear
Florence co-founded the swimwear label Maoi with fellow model Julia Muniz. In a January 2021 interview the pair said the idea began on an all-women boat trip to the Mentawai Islands in Indonesia in 2018, where they talked about making swimwear that was sustainable and size-inclusive. Honolulu Magazine later reported that the brand produces in Bali and donates leftover fabric to a local charity. These details come from the founders’ own account of the brand, plus Honolulu Magazine’s summary of it.
Playboy
Her relationship with Playboy began in 2025, when she appeared as Miss April. Outlets describe the appearance as part of the magazine’s Winter 2025 to 2026 issue, while Playboy’s own social post from October 2025 calls her “Miss April 2025”. The labelling differs between sources, and Belloria could not check it against Playboy.com. Playboy then named her its 2026 Playmate of the Year, the title previously held by Gillian Nation (2025).
Major Work and Notable Projects
- Playboy 2026 Playmate of the Year (announced the week of 29 September 2026): the first Native Hawaiian woman to hold the title.
- Playboy Miss April (Winter 2025 to 2026 issue): the start of her Playboy run.
- Maoi swimwear: a sustainable, size-inclusive label co-founded with Julia Muniz.
- Brand and magazine work: Nike, Lululemon, Target, Coca-Cola, British Vogue, Shape and Forbes, as reported by Honolulu Magazine.
- Surf media: beach reporting at the Vans Pipe Masters, Billabong projects and The Pick-Up with Stab Magazine.
- Louis Vuitton Hong Kong show (reported by BeachGrit, December 2023).
Current Projects and Latest Updates
Playboy announced Mahina Florence as its 2026 Playmate of the Year in the week of 29 September 2026. She is the first Native Hawaiian woman to receive the title. Playboy shot the Playmate of the Year feature on the North Shore, visiting places tied to her upbringing. In its announcement, as quoted by Surfer, she said representing Hawaiʻi, her culture and Native Hawaiian women on a global platform was beyond what she had imagined, and thanked Playboy for letting her tell her story her way.
That quote comes from Playboy’s own announcement, which Belloria could not open directly, so it is relayed through Surfer. No other new projects have been announced in the sources reviewed.
Social Media Stats
| X (Twitter) | IAFD | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| @mahinaflorence | Not publicly verified | Not publicly verified | Not applicable (no adult-film credits found) |
| Current count not publicly verified | Not publicly verified | Not publicly verified | Not applicable |
Follower figures conflict across sources and none is current. Stab Magazine reported about 116,000 Instagram followers in February 2020, while an undated profile aggregator lists about 180,000. Neither figure is treated as verified. Social media figures are approximate and may change.
Personal Life
Mahina Florence is married to professional surfer Nathan Florence. Stab Magazine reported their engagement on 5 February 2020. BeachGrit later described them as childhood sweethearts who met in third grade at Sunset Beach Elementary and said they married in June 2020 in a small ceremony in Pūpukea. A wedding website under their names carries the date 18 November 2020. The two dates conflict, and Belloria has not been able to resolve it, so no wedding date is stated here.
Through the marriage she is a sister-in-law of two-time world champion John John Florence. Nathan Florence is known for chasing very large waves, a pursuit she regularly films.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Mahina Florence?
Mahina Florence is a Hawaiian model and surf media personality raised on Oahu’s North Shore. She was named Playboy’s 2026 Playmate of the Year in September 2026.
Is Mahina Florence an adult-film performer?
Belloria found no adult-film credits for her. She is a model who appeared in Playboy magazine as Miss April and was then named Playmate of the Year. Playboy features are not adult-film work.
Is Mahina Florence the first Native Hawaiian Playmate of the Year?
Yes, according to Playboy as reported by Surfer and Stab Magazine. She is the first Native Hawaiian (Kānaka Maoli) woman to hold the title.
When was Mahina Florence named Playmate of the Year?
Playboy announced it in the week of 29 September 2026.
Who is Mahina Florence’s husband?
Her husband is professional big-wave surfer Nathan Florence. Their engagement was reported in February 2020. The exact wedding date is reported inconsistently.
Who is Mahina Florence’s father?
Her father is Kai “Borg” Garcia, a well-known North Shore figure, according to Stab Magazine and Surfer.
Is Mahina Florence related to John John Florence?
Yes, by marriage. Her husband Nathan is John John Florence’s brother.
What is Maoi?
Maoi is a swimwear label co-founded by Mahina Florence and model Julia Muniz. Its founders describe it as sustainable and size-inclusive.
How old is Mahina Florence?
Her birth date is not independently confirmed. One profile aggregator lists 11 July 1995, but Belloria does not treat that as verified.
What is Mahina Florence’s net worth?
There is no reliable public figure, and Belloria found no credible source for one.
How many Instagram followers does Mahina Florence have?
No current verified figure is available. Her handle is @mahinaflorence. Older and aggregator figures differ.