Bhavitha Mandava the second Indian woman who dazzles on international Vogue cover

Hyderabad-born model and former architecture student Bhavitha Mandava makes history as the British Vogue March 2026 cover star, marking a major milestone for South Asian representation. Discovered on a New York subway in 2024, the 25-year-old quickly rose to fame, becoming the first Indian model to open a Chanel Métiers d’Art show. 

Photographed by Oliver Hadlee Pearch, Mandava is highlighted for her rapid rise from NYU graduate to top fashion model, challenging industry beauty standards.

Mandava is celebrated for bringing, as she notes, a "natural presence" and confronting colourism in the fashion industry.

Before the Vogue cover, she made headlines by opening the Chanel Métiers d’Art show in December 2025. 

The March 2026 issue featuring Mandava is scheduled to be on newsstands on February 24.