Hyderabad’s Bhavitha Mandava, Chanel model, gets a shoutout from Emmanuel Macron

Imagine this: you are hustling through the New York City subway, earbuds in, coffee in hand, and it's just another day in the city that never sleeps. And then... your life changes forever. That's exactly what happened to 26-year-old Hyderabad-born architect-turned-model Bhavitha Mandava.

Bhavitha was just a regular NYU student navigating the subway system when a talent scout spotted her. Fast forward a little over a year, and she's made history, the first Indian model ever to both open and close a Chanel show. And now also got a shoutout from French President Emmanuel Macron too.



Her journey feels like something straight out of a Netflix series, from student life to magazine covers (yes, she's on the cover of British Vogue!) to walking the world's most iconic runways. And she did it all almost by accident. Modelling was never part of her plan.

Bhavitha's story even made it into French President Emmanuel Macron’s speech in Mumbai on February 18, where he was talking about India's growing influence in global leadership.

"She was discovered on the subway platform, and she walked into a subway station in front of the world. So India does not just participate in global innovation; India leads it from Silicon Valley," Macron said.

She was mentioned alongside big names like Leena Nair, CEO of Chanel, showing that India's impact on the global stage isn't limited to business; it's cultural too.



Bhavitha isn't just making waves for herself; she's showing the world that Indian talent belongs front and centre on the global fashion stage. By opening a Chanel show, she's literally the first image the world sees in one of the most important fashion events of the year.

That's not just a runway victory; it's a cultural milestone.

Macron mentioning her signals that Indian fashion is now on the global map, not just through CEOs like Nair but also through trailblazing creatives like Bhavitha. For Gen Z, her story is proof that influence comes in many forms; sometimes it's tech, sometimes it's fashion, and sometimes it's a single subway ride that changes everything.



Her modelling journey, now soaring to impressive heights, including a recent cover on British Vogue, started almost by chance. Becoming a model was never part of her original plan.

So next time you are running late for the train, maybe keep your eyes up, and you never know who might notice you. Bhavitha Mandava's journey reminds us that opportunity can strike anywhere, and sometimes, it strikes big.