Bhavitha Mandava is only 25, but she’s already rewriting the rules. The NYU graduate and former architecture student became the first Indian model to open a Chanel fashion show—at the very place where her career began: a New York City subway station.
A year ago, she was just another commuter when Matthieu Blazy, then at Bottega Veneta, spotted her on the platform. A suggestion to try modeling set her on a path she hadn’t planned, one that would take her from the classrooms of New York to the world’s top runways.
The whirlwind was immediate. Weeks after that subway encounter, she walked for Bottega Veneta, shot the campaign, and appeared in shows for Dior and Courrèges. Now, she’s back with Blazy, opening Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2025/26 collection—an appointment that puts her among the most compelling new faces in fashion.
Her look for the show was understated but magnetic: long black hair, minimal makeup, a white T-shirt, half-zip sweater, jeans, suede bag in hand. It was almost a nod to the day Blazy first saw her—a subway girl turned Chanel icon. Opening a show carries weight: the first look sets the tone, the first steps frame the show’s energy. Bhavitha did both effortlessly.
Her story isn’t just about the runway. It’s about leaving home, earning two degrees, and moving across the world to chase education—and fate.
After completing her master’s, she posted on Instagram: “Thank you to my family for always believing in me even when I was struggling… Your love got me through the sleepless nights, the long flights, the hard semesters, and the calm moments filled with doubt.”
When her family saw her on the runway, their pride was palpable. Videos of her mother repeating her name went viral on social media, a reminder that behind the poised walk and the glowing gaze is a young woman shaped by ambition, family, and the improbable turns of life.
Bhavitha Mandava’s ascent is just beginning. She’s no longer the girl on the subway—she’s the face to watch, the model who can carry a show and a story in equal measure.
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Last modified: December 21, 2025
