Indian American model Bhavitha Mandava, Indian House Ambassador for Chanel, made her Met Gala debut on May 4. She went in a sheer, oversized blouse paired with relaxed-fit blue jeans, igniting a debate on the internet.
In a “Get Ready With Me” video posted by British Vogue on Instagram, Mandava described the moment as both exciting and surreal. She said she felt “excited” and “nervous,” adding that her outfit was a couture adaptation of her opening look for Chanel’s Métiers d’Art show in New York, styled with Chanel jewelry.
Mandava also recalled the moment she learned she had been invited to the 2026 Met Gala 2026. Bhavitha said, “My agent sent me the email… I was jumping on the bed, and I had to call everyone I knew. I was like, ‘Guess what? I’m going to the Met.’”
READ: Bhavitha Mandava becomes first Indian model named Chanel house ambassador (March 7, 2026)
Mandava previously made headlines as the first Indian model to open a Chanel Métiers d’Art show in December 2025. However, her Met Gala debut later sparked online debate over her outfit, which some viewed as comparatively casual amid the more elaborate fashion choices worn by other attendees. Some social media users accused Chanel of racism and microaggressions in its styling choice for Mandava.
“Why did they send Bhavitha to the Met Gala in jeans?? This feels like a microaggression,” one X user said. Another X user added, “Every other ambassador is in custom couture, and she’s in a mall outfit? It feels a bit racist.”
Fashion watchdog Diet Prada noted the specific outrage within the Indian and South Asian community, sharing in an Instagram post on Tuesday that commentators like fashion content creator Sufi Motiwala accused the brand of “tokenizing” Bhavitha.
READ: ‘Cannot accept dusky skin tone’: Chanel star Bhavitha Mandava on India’s colorism (February 13, 2026)
Diet Prada wrote, “The overly casual look which the design house has prioritized for their first ever Indian ambassador seems to peddle a narrative which excludes her from the glamour of her counterparts. Mandava’s Chanel counterparts, by the way, include Jennie, Margot Robbie, Lily Rose-Depp, Gracie Abrams, and Anna Wintour herself who each wore luxurious evening gowns to the gala. As did Awar Odhiang, a fellow Chanel model of comparable viral fame. In a bathroom selfie taken by Mandava, the discrepancy of her jeans-and-a-casual-top outfit is impossible to ignore. Thoughts?”
However, some critics have defended the choice, saying the brand was attempting to challenge the rigid definitions of “formal” wear.
Earlier this year, Mandava received recognition for being named a house ambassador for Chanel, becoming the first Indian model to receive the title at the iconic French fashion house. The announcement marked a notable moment for Indian representation in global luxury fashion. Mandava drew international attention as the first Indian woman to open a show for Chanel at its Métiers d’Art Show 2026. She also spoke up about her experience of facing racist assumptions from the international community, as well as colorism in India.