Bhavitha Mandava Debuts at BoF 500 Gala in Chanel Dress
Model Bhavitha Mandava made her BoF 500 debut at the Paris gala on October 3, 2026, wearing a custom Chanel Fall 2027 dress.
Bhavitha Mandava debuted at the BoF 500 Gala 2026 on October 3, wearing a dress from Chanel’s Fall 2027 collection. She attended the event, held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris, with her parents.
Her look was a custom sleeveless midi dress with a plunging V-neckline and a fitted upper section. It featured a satin-finish black peplum that dipped shorter at the front and extended into a floor-sweeping train at the back. The black fabric was adorned with delicate pink and white floral embroidery and fine stems. Scattered silver-toned starburst embellishments covered the bodice and shoulders. Mandava completed the outfit with black pumps, a sculptural gold starburst ear cuff on her right ear, and no necklace. Her hair was styled in natural-looking waves with a centre part, one side tucked behind her ear, and her makeup featured soft warm eyeshadow, subtle contouring, and a brown-nude lip.
Her rise in fashion and ties to Chanel
Bhavitha Mandava was born into a Telugu-speaking family and studied architecture at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad. She moved to the US for a master’s degree at New York University, entering modelling while studying to help pay off student debt. Her runway debut was at Bottega Veneta’s Spring/Summer 2025 show. She has also walked for Christian Dior and Courrèges.
Her career accelerated with Chanel. Mandava became the first Indian model to open a Chanel show. She achieved the status of a Chanel house ambassador at the Métiers d’Art 2026 show in New York. Her BoF 500 debut adds a high-profile chapter to her modelling career.
Context of the BoF 500 Gala 2026
The BoF 500 Gala 2026 took place on October 3 during Paris Fashion Week. The Business of Fashion has hosted the event annually since 2013. It recognizes influential individuals across eight categories: Designers, Executives, Media, Retailers, Entrepreneurs, Creative Class, Models & Muses, and Catalysts. Imran Amed is the Founder & CEO of The Business of Fashion. Other attendees included Nicky Hilton Rothschild and Tracee Ellis Ross.
Bhavitha Mandava maintained a close professional connection with Matthieu Blazy after he became Chanel’s artistic director.
