If there is one word to describe theMet Gala, it would be 'spectacle'. Known as 'fashion's biggest night', the annual event at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art brings together celebrities, designers, and cultural figures in a showcase of glam and glamour. Every attendee is expected to bring a carefully curated look that aligns with the year's theme while still making a bold personal statement that stands out in a highly competitive fashion showcase.
However, amidst the usual sea of dramatic gowns and elaborate couture, one personality drew particular attention. Indian model Bhavitha Mandava appeared in what looked like a simple jeans-inspired ensemble. The look sparked immediatebacklashonline against Chanel, with critics accusing the fashion house of underplaying her moment on the red carpet.
Hailing from Hyderabad, India, Bhavitha Mandava is a 26-year-old model who graduated from New York University. In 2024, she was discovered by a modelling agency while waiting for a subway in Brooklyn. Her pictures were later sent to renowned casting director Anita Bitton, who then shared them with Chanel creative director Matthieu Blazy, who at that time was the creative director of Bottega Veneta.
Weeks after being discovered, Mandava was cast in Blazy's spring/summer 2025 show. In December 2025, she made history as the first Indian model to open a Chanel Métiers d'Art runway presentation. The show, staged inside a decommissioned New York subway station, referenced her discovery.
On the runway, she wore a quarter-zip sweater and washed denim inspired by her original subway encounter – a concept that would later influence her Met Gala debut.
On Monday, Mandava donned a beige muslin half-zip sweater, a white top, and silk muslin trousers printed with a 'blue denim effect' using trompe l'oeil techniques by Chanel's ateliers.
The look received backlash from all over the internet, as social media users accused Chanel of disrespecting Mandava.
One X user said Chanel just put Mandava 'in a simple everyday outfit' and called it art. 'The absolute disrespect'.
Others also accused Chanel of being racist, saying: 'Making Bhavitha Mandava the face of Chanel and then not putting any effort into her big moment. Not even a dress. They wouldn't have done this if it was a white model.'
One Reddit user also said the look was 'underwhelming', while others said that the outfit was 'anticlimactic.'
Source: International Business Times UK
