Bhavitha Mandava, a 25-year-old from Hyderabad, has made history by becoming the first Indian model to open a Chanel Métiers d’Art show. The show, held on December 2 inside Manhattan’s abandoned Bowery subway station, featured Mandava leading the lineup, marking a notable milestone for Indian representation on global runways.

Mandava’s academic background is rooted far from the world of fashion. She completed her bachelor’s degree in architecture at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) Hyderabad before moving to the United States to pursue a master’s degree in Integrated Design & Media at New York University (NYU), with a focus on Human-Computer Interaction. During her time at NYU, she worked as a communications specialist at NYU’s MakerSpace, engaging in research, creative technology and design-led innovation.