Bhavitha Mandava is first Indian model to open for Chanel show in New York

Indian model Bhavitha Mandava, originally from Hyderabad, created history by opening Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2026 show in New York City, becoming the first Indian model known to have opened a Chanel runway. 

The show was staged inside Manhattan’s Bowery subway station, a venue selected by creative director Matthieu Blazy for his first Métiers d’Art presentation at the house.

From Hyderabad Classrooms to New York Runways

Mandava, 25, studied architecture in India before moving to the United States to pursue assistive technology at New York University (NYU). Reportedly, modelling was not on her radar until her now widely publicised discovery.

Her academic background stands out in an industry where most newcomers begin training in their teens.

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Discovered on a New York Subway Platform

Mandava’s entry into fashion began in August 2024, when she was scouted on a New York City subway platform by Showin, a well-known industry scout. Within two weeks, she was cast as an exclusive for Bottega Veneta’s Spring/Summer 2025 show under then creative director Matthieu Blazy, a rare, rapid debut for a new model.

She went on to appear in a Bottega Veneta campaign, further cementing her place in the emerging-talent pool.

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Following Matthieu Blazy to Chanel

When Blazy took over as artistic director of Chanel, Mandava became part of the select group of faces he continued working with. She walked in his first ready-to-wear shows before being chosen to open the Métiers d’Art 2026 show, one of the brand’s most important annual presentations celebrating its partner ateliers.

Opening a show is one of the highest-visibility positions on any runway, signalling a designer’s confidence in the model to define the collection’s tone.

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A Subway Station Turned Runway

The Métiers d’Art show was held inside a decommissioned section of the Bowery subway station, transformed with lighting, tiled columns, and vintage signage intact. Guests- including Kristen Stewart, Ayo Edebiri, and A$AP Rocky, were brought to the underground venue without prior details, reinforcing the show’s New York-centric narrative.

For Mandava, who was literally discovered in a subway station, opening a Chanel show in another subway setting created a widely discussed “subway-to-runway” full-circle moment.

A Viral Family Reaction

After the show, Mandava shared a video of her parents watching her Chanel debut. Her mother, visibly emotional, repeats her name in disbelief while her father beams with pride. The clip quickly went viral, picked up by Indian and international outlets, amplifying the emotional significance of her achievement.

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Mandava’s rapid ascent—discovery in 2024, Bottega debut in 2025, Chanel opener in 2026—marks one of the fastest rises for an Indian model on the global luxury circuit. Her achievement signals a broader shift within luxury fashion, where global houses are increasingly spotlighting diverse voices, backgrounds, on their most influential runways.