Who was that girl in jeans at the Met Gala? Meet Hyderabad’s Bhavitha Mandava, a Chanel model

When you think of the Met Gala, the first thing that comes to mind is the over-the-top dress looks that push fashion so far. But at the 2026 Met Gala, the world saw a model walking the coveted carpet in a simple pair of jeans and a shirt. Yes, her look grabbed attention immediately. And who was the one who chose jeans and a shirt for an event like this? It was Indian model Bhavitha Mandava.

Who is Bhavitha Mandava?

The 26-year-old attended fashion’s biggest night alongside A-list celebrities. For the theme "Costume Art" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, some guests turned themselves into living statues, while others wore outfits that reflected history.

Bhavitha, however, chose to represent everyday fashion. Her rise in the fashion world came earlier this year, when she made history as the first Indian model to open a Chanel show after she was discovered at a New York City subway station.

For the Met Gala, the luxury brand sent the model to the event, for which she wore a sheer beige top paired with high-waisted blue jeans. To add a touch of drama, she accessorised with a diamond ring and earrings, along with black-and-white pumps. She kept her hair loose and her makeup minimal.

While attending the event, Mandava surely had a great time with the A-listers gathered from across the world. She even managed to click a bathroom selfie. Sharing the picture that featured Blackpink member Jisoo, she wrote,'' Felt cute, might delete later #metgala.''

Mandava left India in 2023 to study at New York University and build a life that she had dreamed of. While studying for her plan, destiny has new roads for her. And one day, when she was travelling on a subway, a modelling agent and the rest is history. Born and raised in Hyderabad, she's an architect and moved to North America to pursue a master’s degree.

Why did she choose this outfit for the Met Gala?

Mandava, an architect from Hyderabad, gained recognition after opening the Chanel show in December 2025 as the first Indian model to do so. She had also walked that Chanel runway in jeans and a beige top, so this Met Gala look appears to be a nod to the moment that changed her career forever. Her look was a couture version of what Mandava wore the day she caught modelling agent Bishop's attention on a subway in New York.

How is the internet reacting to Bhavitha Mandava's casual look?

The casual look that Chanel made Mandava wear has triggered netizens, who are surely unimpressed.

Calling out the brand's choice for her debut event, one user wrote,''why did they send bhavitha to the met in jeans?? this feels like a microaggression.''

Another user wrote,''making bhavitha mandava the face of chanel and then not putting any effort for her big moment. not even a dress. they wouldn't have done this if it was a white model.''

Another quipped over the decision to put her on jeans,''I'm so sad for Bhavitha. she was on such an insane run this year and for Chanel to do this to her is insane to me. the possibilities were endless but they chose to put her in jeans.''

A X user slammed Chanel, saying,''is this not crazy oh my god chanel you are going to hell.''