"Can’t put into words how much this means to me."
Bhavitha Mandava made history by becoming the first Indian to open Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2026 show, marking a historic milestone for global Indian representation in luxury fashion.
The 25-year-old’s historic opening comes after she was discovered by chance in a New York City subway.
Bhavitha grew up in Hyderabad, where she excelled academically before pursuing architecture at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University.
She later moved to the United States and completed a master’s degree in assistive technology and human-computer interaction at New York University.
Despite her academic focus on design and technology, she continued to nurture a quiet passion for fashion.
Her unexpected entry into modelling came while travelling on a New York subway, where she was scouted for Matthieu Blazy’s Bottega Veneta Spring/Summer 2025 show.
That single encounter transformed her career trajectory.
Within months, she returned to another subway platform as the opening face of Chanel’s Métiers d’Art show, staged in New York. The symbolism of that journey resonated widely within the fashion industry.
On December 3, the model shared a video of her parents reacting to the news.
The clip showed her mother tearfully repeating her name while her father watched with visible pride.
In the caption, Bhavitha wrote:
“Can’t put into words how much this means to me. Thank you @chanelofficial @matthieu_blazy.”
Fashion influencer Viren H Shah captured the scale of the achievement:
“She was discovered in the most ordinary of places, a New York City subway. And yesterday she just opened the Chanel Métiers d’art show in New York City — in the train station where it all started.”
In October, Bhavitha reflected on the speed of her rise within the industry.
Writing on Instagram, she said: “Exactly a year ago, I started modelling, and @matthieu_blazy was the first person I ever worked with.
“From my first runway to my first campaign, you made a life I never could have dreamed possible. I’m so honoured to be following you to @chanelofficial.”
Earlier in 2025, she shared behind-the-scenes insight from her Bottega Veneta campaign with Blazy.
In another post, she wrote: “I still remember attending my online class at midnight due to the time zone difference, then showing up at the Bottega Veneta office the next day, running on little sleep.”
Reflecting on that early encounter, she added: “That was the day I met one of the most incredible people, @matthieu_blazy.
“From that moment on, the opportunities he has given me have been nothing short of a dream.”
“I’m beyond grateful, thank you for everything, Mr Blazy.”
Bhavitha Mandava’s journey bridges academia, fashion and global mobility in a way few achieve at such a young age. Her social media presence reflects that dual life, balancing research, runway work and transatlantic travel.
Her Chanel debut is being widely recognised as a breakthrough moment for Indian visibility on the world’s most elite fashion stages.
Loading ...