From Brooklyn Subway to British Vogue: Meet Bhavitha Mandava, Fashion’s Newest Star

In what reads like a modern fashion fairy tale, Bhavitha Mandava has become the second Indian woman to appear solo on the cover of British Vogue, following Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

Less than two years ago, she was an architecture student in New York, discovered on a Brooklyn subway platform. Today, she is one of fashion’s most exciting new faces and a Chanel muse.

The Girl from Hyderabad-

Born and raised in Hyderabad, Mandava grew up in a deeply academic household where success meant degrees and stability. Following that path, she moved to New York to pursue a Master of Science in Integrated Design and Media at NYU, building on her Bachelor of Architecture. Modelling was never part of her plan.

That changed two weeks before the Spring/Summer 2025 show of Bottega Veneta.

A scout from 28Models approached her on a subway platform. She declined twice. Only when the possibility of paying off student debt was mentioned did she reconsider. Her photos were sent to casting director Anita Bitton, who shared them with Matthieu Blazy. He cast her immediately.

Two weeks later, Mandava walked her first runway for Bottega Veneta in heels she barely knew how to walk in, wearing a simple oversized white shirt and pleated skirt. She had never heard of the brand before that moment.

Balancing Books and the Runway-

What sets Mandava apart is not just the speed of her rise, but her refusal to abandon her academic life. Even as her modelling career accelerated, she continued attending classes, working at NYU MakerSpace, and flying to Europe on weekends for shows.

By May 2025, she had graduated with both her architecture degree and her master’s while already having walked for Dior, Bottega Veneta, and Chanel.

A Full-Circle Chanel Moment-

When Matthieu Blazy was appointed artistic director at Chanel, Mandava followed. Then came a defining moment: she was chosen to open Chanel’s Métiers d’Art show staged in an abandoned subway station in New York  a poetic nod to where she had first been discovered.

Dressed in a beige quarter-zip jumper and stonewashed jeans  echoing her everyday student look she opened one of fashion’s most prestigious shows. She became the first Indian model to open a Chanel show.

Blazy described her as “confident, enthusiastic and very involved,” noting that the opening look wasn’t just about Chanel  it was about her.

A video of her parents watching the livestream from their home in Hyderabad went viral, capturing her mother’s joy and her father’s quiet pride.

The British Vogue Cover-

The March 2026 cover of British Vogue, photographed by Oliver Hadlee Pearch, shows Mandava mid-laughter radiant and unguarded. Styled in a tie-dye chiffon Ashish maxidress, she embodied what editor Chioma Nnadi described as a “fashion fairy tale.”

In her interview, Mandava reflected on what the cover means beyond personal success. She spoke about inclusion and representation, and the question of who gets to be seen as traditionally beautiful in Western fashion spaces.

She also addressed colourism openly, acknowledging the cultural conversations her visibility has sparked. For many young South Asian women, seeing someone who looks like them on such a global platform has been deeply meaningful.

More Than a Moment-

Mandava’s rise feels cinematic, but what makes it powerful is its authenticity. She didn’t chase fashion; fashion found her. She showed up to castings in free NYU T-shirts, walked in heels for the second time in her life on a major runway, and balanced revision notes with runway rehearsals.

Now, as she prepares to walk as the Chanel bride one of the most prestigious honours in couture she remains grounded in the same values she carried from Hyderabad to New York.

From a subway platform to the cover of British Vogue, Bhavitha Mandava’s journey is not just about fashion. It is about representation, resilience, and redefining beauty on her own terms.