There’s a brand new it girl taking the fashion world by storm, and we’re already obsessed.
Bhavitha Mandava recently made history as the first-ever Indian model to open a Chanel runway show.
Chanel’s Métiers d’art 2026 collection, designed by Matthieu Blazy, was already the talk of the town for being the brand’s first show in New York City since 2018. But the 25-year-old Hyderabadi model’s historic walk and the wholesome viral moment with her parents completely stole the show.
Opening a Chanel show is a career-defining moment reserved for fashion’s top muses, and Bhavitha walked out like she understood the assignment on a cellular level. With her razor-sharp cheekbones, impossibly elegant posture, and that signature quiet-confidence-meets-Gen-Z-cool energy, let’s just say Bhavita Mandava ate and left no crumbs.
The show went down on a subway platform inside the abandoned Bowery Station — yes, an actual underground New York City station — which is a major plot twist for a brand that usually hosts their shows in places like the Grand Palais or, you know, private islands in Dubai. With A$AP Rocky, Solange Knowles, Kristen Stewart, and half of the fashion industry’s cool-kids in the audience, the vibe was very “underground chic meets old-school New York glamour.” Think graffiti walls, industrial lighting, and couture that somehow made sense in the middle of it all.
What made the moment even more iconic? Bhavitha was scouted at a New York City subway station just *two weeks* before the Spring/Summer 2025 season where she made her debut for Bottega Veneta under the creative direction of Matthieu Blazy. Talk about a full-circle moment written by the universe!
ICYMI, the brown-skinned beauty has also modelled in a Bottega Veneta campaign and walked the runway at Blazy’s debut Chanel show during the Spring 2026 season. It’s safe to say the discovery by Anita Britton and early casting by Blazy quite literally changed her life.
While Bhavitha stole the show, her parents stole the internet’s heart with their emotional reaction to watching their daughter make history as she opened the Chanel show. She shared the moment on her Instagram, which garnered over 15 million views in less than two days, with stars like Mindy Kaling and supermodel Karlie Kloss showing their support.
With this many iconic achievements under her belt already, it’s clear this is just the start to a new era in fashion for South Asian representation — and Bhavitha Mandava is definitely the main character!
Read about more South Asians you need to be following stat.