Despite glowing praise from bystanders on Chapel Street, drag queen Art Simone has become the victim of vicious online trolling for being the shopping precinct's new-look Santa.

The much more glamorous Santa is hitting the streets of Prahran every weekend until Christmas Eve for "drag carolling".

Tom Gough (left) and Art Simone at the Chapel Street precinct on Saturday. Credit:Trish Ropiha

But some on social media have responded with hate-filled tweets, and even death threats.

"Mental patients shouldn't be taking the place of Santa," one Twitter user wrote.