First Indian Model to Open a Chanel Runway: Bhavitha Mandava’s Subway-to-Spotlight Journey

When Bhavitha Mandava descended the stairs of the Bowery Station on December 2, 2025, opening Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2026 collection, she completed one of fashion’s most poetic full-circle moments. The 25-year-old was walking in an abandoned New York City subway station—the same underground setting where, just over a year earlier, she had been discovered by Matthieu Blazy while standing on a platform as a graduate student focused on assistive technology.

“I never imagined opening for such a prestigious brand as an immigrant and a woman of color,” Mandava wrote on Instagram, according to Northwest Asian Weekly. She became the first Indian model to open a Chanel runway, according to NextShark and multiple news outlets, marking a historic milestone for South Asian representation in luxury fashion’s highest echelons.

From Architecture to Human-Computer Interaction

Mandava was born and raised in Hyderabad, India, where she completed a Bachelor of Architecture degree at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University. But her ambitions extended beyond traditional architecture.

Mandava moved to New York to pursue a master’s degree in Integrated Design and Media (IDM) at New York University, specializing in human-computer interaction. The IDM program, housed at NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering, focuses on blending human experience with emerging technology through storytelling and design.

On LinkedIn Mandava describes herself as “a New York–based product designer with a background in architecture, focused on blending human experience with emerging technology through storytelling and design.” Before modeling entered the picture, she was working as a communications specialist at NYU’s MakerSpace, deeply immersed in innovation, research, and creative technology.

The Subway Discovery

Mandava’s entry into fashion was entirely accidental. Just two weeks before the Spring/Summer 2025 shows, she was standing on a New York City subway platform when she caught the eye of Matthieu Blazy, who was then creative director at Bottega Veneta.

According to Fashion influencer Viren H Shah, as reported by The Deccan Chronicle, “Two weeks after being scouted, she debuted as a Bottega Veneta exclusive under creative director Matthieu Blazy… She also did a campaign with him. And basically at this point, you know, she has met Matthieu. He has changed her life, giving her opportunities that she’s dreamed of.”

Mandava initially was hesitant to accept the modeling offer but later decided to consider it to help pay her student debt. Her life changed after she walked in Matthieu Blazy’s Bottega Veneta Spring/Summer 2025 show.

Sharing a photo from that runway, Mandava wrote on Instagram: “Exactly a year ago, I started modeling, 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 honored to be following you to @chanelofficial 🤍.”

Following Blazy to Chanel

When Blazy moved from Bottega Veneta to become creative director of Chanel—one of fashion’s most prestigious houses—he brought Mandava with him. She appeared in his Spring/Summer 2026 debut collection in October 2025, marking the start of an ongoing creative partnership.

Sharing a photo from that runway, Mandava wrote on Instagram: “Exactly a year ago, I started modeling, 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 honored to be following you to @chanelofficial 🤍.”

According Shah: “Now, in the most poetic full circle moment, Bhavitha opens Matthieu Blazy’s second Chanel collection in New York City — in the subway station where it all started.”

The Historic Métiers d’Art Opening

The Métiers d’Art show is one of Chanel’s most prestigious annual presentations. According to Marie Claire Australia, staged outside the main fashion week circuit, “Chanel’s Métiers d’Art show honors the maison’s specialist craft ateliers and its most intricate workmanship.” The show typically features established models, making Mandava’s selection to open particularly significant.

The fashion show took place in the abandoned Bowery station in downtown Manhattan, with celebrities like Kristen Stewart and Jon Bon Jovi in attendance.

The choice of venue was deeply symbolic. As Marie Claire Australia noted, “Her return to a subway setting for the Métiers d’Art 2026 show months later added a poetic symmetry to her rise. This time, she wasn’t a newcomer discovered underground—she was the opening model of one of fashion’s most prestigious presentations, a position traditionally reserved for long-established models.”

The Parents’ Emotional Reaction

On December 3, the day after the show, Mandava posted an emotional video that captured her parents watching the presentation from their home in Hyderabad. She captioned the video: “Can’t put into words how much this means to me. Thank you @chanelofficial @matthieu_blazy.”

According to The Tribune, the video has garnered 3.2 million views. The publication noted: “The video shows her mother and father watching her walk down the stairs of the Bowery Station, beaming with pride.”

Reflections on the Journey

The significance of being the first Indian model to open a Chanel show was not lost on her. As she told followers on Instagram: “I never imagined opening for such a prestigious brand as an immigrant and a woman of color.”

Mandava’s achievement represents more than personal success—it’s a milestone for South Asian representation in luxury fashion’s most exclusive spaces. According to Hauterrfly, “This achievement is not only a grand one for Mandava but for the entire Indian modelling industry.”

This story was aggregated by AI from several news reports and edited by American Kahani’s News Desk.