From subway to Chanel: Bhavitha Mandava’s full-circle fashion moment

India Today

A 25-year-old architecture student from Hyderabad, scouted on a random New York subway ride, is now the first Indian to open Chanel’s Métiers d’Art show.

Transcript

00:00Ever heard a subway twist of fate?

00:02That's what happened with this 25-year-old Indian girl Bhavata Mandawa,

00:06who went from waiting for a train to opening Chanel's Mithiye Daaj 2026 show in New York.

00:12Bhavata grew up in Hyderabad, studied architecture and later moved to New York for her master's.

00:17She had no plans of modelling.

00:19Then came the unbelievable, she was scouted at a New York subway station just two weeks later.

00:24She debuted as an exclusive model for Bottega Veneta.

00:27Fast forward to December of 2025, she became the first Indian model ever to open Chanel's Mithiye Daaj show.

00:34And fittingly, the show was held at a subway station in New York, the same world where she was discovered.

00:39A full circle moment indeed.

00:41She posted a video of her parents watching her walk down the stairs of the subway turned runway,

00:46all teary-eyed with pride, and the moment went viral.

00:50From classroom to catwalk, Bhavata's journey is proof that sometimes destiny finds you in the most ordinary place.

00:56And now she's leading global fashion, representing India on a runway built underground.

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