Meet Bhavitha Mandava, the 1st Indian to open a Chanel show

Entertainment Dec 06, 2025

Bhavitha Mandava, 25, just became the first Indian model to open Chanel's Metiers d'Art 2026 show—a big moment for Indian representation in global fashion.
She was discovered in a New York subway last year, making her rise from Hyderabad student to international runway star feel almost like a movie.

From architecture student to viral moment

Mandava started out studying architecture in Hyderabad before heading to NYU for a master's in assistive tech.
Her modeling career took off after being spotted for Bottega Veneta.
Recently, she shared a touching video of her parents' emotional reaction to her Chanel debut—her mom's happy tears went viral and captured just how much this milestone means for her and her family.