Fashion model Bhavitha Mandava , the first Indian model to open a Chanel show in New York City, expressed her gratitude to the fashion house’s creative director, Matthieu Blazy, in an Instagram post, penning a heartfelt caption calling him the ‘hero of my life.’
She also posted pictures of herself on the subway and street-level glimpses of her Chanel ads. Much of the online attention has focused on how she entered modelling without any prior experience, solely following a chance encounter on the subway. She also appeared in the brand’s campaign. The opportunity opened doors for her, eventually leading her to Chanel.
In the post, Bhavitha also shared pictures of a glitzy dress she wore to the Wall Street Journal Magazine’s 2026 Innovator Awards at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City , where Matthieu Blazy was honoured with the Fashion Innovator award and even gave a speech after receiving the accolade. She was spotted in September 2024, and Matthieu Blazy, then the creative director of Bottega Veneta, helped her runway debut as an exclusive model for the brand’s Spring/Summer 2025 show in Milan. Following Blazy’s move to the fashion house, she was also called upon to open Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2026 show in December 2025, becoming the first Indian model to open a Chanel show.
