A STAR IS BORN: Chanel has named Bhavitha Mandava a house ambassador, cementing her meteoric rise as muse of creative director Matthieu Blazy.
Mandava made her debut on the Chanel runway for Blazy’s debut collection last season, and went on to make history as the first Indian model to open a Chanel show, leading the Métiers d’Art collection in New York City in December.
Mandava was pursuing a master’s degree in integrated design and media at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering when she was spotted on the subway by a modeling scout. Within two weeks, Blazy — then creative director of Bottega Veneta — had cast her in a show.
“Since we met, Bhavitha has never ceased to amaze me. Smart, down-to-earth, she emanates a sense of deep joy. We are happy she will be part of this chapter with us at Chanel,” Blazy said in a statement.
Bhavitha Mandava
Courtesy of Chanel
The model won hearts when she posted a video of her parents, whom she calls her best friends, cheering her as they watched the Métiers d’Art show on TV. In January, the 26-year-old model closed the Chanel haute couture show in a bridal look, and she has since appeared on the covers of British Vogue and i-D.
“Chanel has long stood as a symbol of the modern working woman in motion, a spirit I deeply resonate with and am proud to embody,” she said.
“Matthieu’s vision for the house brings a genuine sense of joy, thoughtfully balanced with reverence for its legacy. I’m truly honored to be part of this new chapter at Chanel and to join as an ambassador for a house that holds a special place in my heart,” she added.
Chanel has a history of casting models as ambassadors for the house, stretching back to Inès de la Fressange, who embodied Karl Lagerfeld’s collections in the ‘80s, and Claudia Schiffer, a face of the brand in the early ‘90s.
Chanel Spring 2026 Couture at Paris Fashion Week
Dominique Maitre/WWD
