Bhavitha Mandava: From a New York Subway to the Chanel Runway

When Chanel staged its Métiers d’Art show in 2025, Indian model Bhavitha Mandava made history as the first Indian to open a Chanel runway. Yet modelling was never part of her original plan—until a chance encounter in a New York subway station in 2024 changed everything.

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From Subway to Runway

Mandava never planned on becoming a model. After earning a bachelor’s degree in architecture in Hyderabad, she moved to New York City to pursue a Master of Science in Integrated Design & Media, specializing in Human-Computer Interaction.

Everything changed in 2024, when she was scouted at the Atlantic Avenue subway station. Though she initially declined, the prospect of paying off her student debt eventually convinced her to give modelling a chance. With no prior training, she debuted at Bottega Veneta S/S25 under Matthieu Blazy. Soon after, she appeared in campaigns and on runways across the industry—all while continuing her studies in New York.

A Chanel Staple

In December 2025, Mandava made history when she opened Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2026 show—becoming the first Indian model to do so. The moment felt almost poetic: the show itself unfolded on a subway platform at Manhattan’s Bowery station, echoing the place where her modelling journey first began.

In an Instagram post about designer Matthieu Blazy, Mandava wrote, “Since meeting him, the world feels brighter, softer, and full of possibility.” Balancing a day job, night classes, and weekends spent modelling in Europe, Mandava embodied Chanel’s vision of the modern woman in motion.

Mandava’s whirlwind journey has quickly made her a Chanel favorite. She even closed the house’s Haute Couture S/S26 show as the Chanel bride—one of fashion’s most coveted runway moments. With her bright smile and effortless presence, Bhavitha Mandava brings a refreshing energy to the runway—one that signals an exciting future for the model, the house, and for immigrants and women of color.

Follow her journey as a model and ambassador on Bhavitha Mandava‘s social media.

Featured Image and Photos: BHAVITHA MANDAVA (via Instagram)