Meet Bhavitha Mandava, the Engineering Student Who Opened Chanel’s Runway Show | New York Gui-De
•March 5, 2026
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Why It Matters
Her story shows that blending technical expertise with personal authenticity can break into elite fashion circles, highlighting NYC’s power as a cross‑industry launchpad.
Key Takeaways
- •Scouted in NYC subway, landed Chanel runway debut
- •Balancing NYU design studies with modeling trips to Paris
- •Mentor Machi emphasized genuine connections over superficial casting
- •NYC’s cultural spots inspire her interdisciplinary design and fashion perspective
- •Advice: be kind to industry peers; kindness fuels career longevity
Summary
The video profiles Bhavitha Mandava, an Indian‑born engineering student at NYU who recently opened Chanel’s runway show staged in a New York subway station, illustrating a rare crossover between technical education and high fashion.
Mandava studies integrated design and media, blending technology with design after an architecture background. She juggles a full NYU schedule, a campus job, and weekend modeling trips to Paris. Scouted at a subway platform, she honed her runway walk by practicing in the same tunnels, turning a chance encounter into a Chanel debut.
She credits casting director Machi for treating her as a person rather than a body, noting his genuine curiosity about her story. A backstage conversation with veteran Allegra reinforced the mantra ‘be nice to everyone,’ a principle Mandava says propelled her career.
Mandava’s journey underscores how interdisciplinary skill sets and authentic networking can unlock elite fashion opportunities, while reinforcing New York’s role as a talent incubator where tech, design, and style intersect.
Original Description
Bhavitha Mandava shot to fame as the engineering student who opened Chanel’s New York City runway show. The Indian model is more than a viral sensation—she’s here to stay.
For the cover of i-D 376, Mandava gives us her guide to the West Village and New York University for our first i-D City Gui-De.
See the full cover story: https://i-d.co/article/bhavitha-mandava-cover-inez-and-vinoodh-chanel/
Video by Sarah Lou Kiernan
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#Chanel #BhavithaMandava #RunwayFashion #NYU #NYC #Fashion
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