10 Photos of Bhavitha Mandava: First Indian Woman to Open a Chanel Show After NYC Subway Discovery

From subway to runway, that's how model Bhavitha Mandava's career in fashion started. The customary commute in the New York City subway paved the way for Mandava to be catapulted from an unfamiliar architecture student to the global runway.

Mandava shattered ceilings and made history by being the first Indian woman to open a show for the iconic house of Chanel. Her journey is a profound reminder that destiny can often be found in the most unexpected and ordinary places, far from the polished runways of Paris or Milan.

Bhavitha Mandava's Chance Discovery

Mandava's entry into the fashion industry was entirely serendipitous. She was in a New York subway when designer Matthieu Blazy scouted her. The chance encounter happened just two weeks before the Spring/Summer 2025 season.

Blazy was the Creative Director at Bottega Veneta at the time. Mandava made her debut for the brand and shot an advertising campaign for them, solidifying her partnership with Blazy.

Mandava Makes History at Chanel

Mandava's career accelerated when Blazy moved to Chanel as the fashion house's new Creative Director.

Blazy had Mandava walk in his debut Spring 2026 collection for the maison. Shortly after that came the monumental moment: Blazy's second show, the Métiers d'Art 2026.

Mandava opened the collection. The event was a full-circle moment for the young model, as it was held inside the decommissioned Bowery Station in New York City. It commemorated her chance discovery in a subway station.

By opening the show, Mandava secured her place in history by being the first Indian woman to lead a lineup for the French luxury fashion house.

Viral Family Reaction

Mandava remains a dedicated daughter to her parents in India. She took to Instagram and shared a clip showing their reaction to her opening Blazy's Chanel's Métiers d'Art 2026 show.

'Can't put into words how much this means to me,' she captioned the post, while thanking Blazy and Chanel.

Her mother is noticeably emotional as she keeps on cheering Mandava while watching her lead the show. Mandava's mother screams her name as she claps her hands. Meanwhile, her father, seated beside her mother, is all smiles and visibly proud of her achievement.

Mandava ended the clip by expressing her gratitude for the designer who discovered her in the subway station. 'Thank you Matthieu Blazy for trusting me to open the show, truly an honour,' the message read.

Who Is Bhavitha Mandava?

Bhavitha Mandava was born and raised in Hyderabad, India. Her life was firmly dedicated to academia and design before she became a model.

She has a degree in Architecture and graduated from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University. Her academic interests were in creativity and structural design, setting her on a clear, professional path that had nothing to do with modelling.

Wanting to broaden her design skills and expertise, Mandava moved to New York to pursue a master's degree at New York University. She enrolled in a programme specialising in assistive technology and human-computer interaction.

An ordinary commute in the New York subway paved her way into the fashion world. Mandava's journey is a striking reminder that life can shift when the right opportunity appears, and that such moments can emerge in the most ordinary places.