- Bhavitha Mandava attended Met Gala 2026 in jeans and a sheer top.
- She represented Chanel as the brand’s house ambassador.
- Social media users accused Chanel of racism and tokenism.
- Chanel said the outfit was a couture version of her runway look.
- Bhavitha called her Met Gala debut “excited, nervous, and surreal.”
Indian-origin model Bhavitha Mandava became one of the biggest talking points at Met Gala 2026 after arriving in a casual Chanel outfit that many online users criticized.
Bhavitha, who became the first Indian model to open a Chanel Métiers d'Art show in December 2025, attended her first Met Gala on Monday (4) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. She appeared on the red carpet wearing a sheer oversized blouse with relaxed-fit blue jeans designed by Chanel.
The Met Gala is known for dramatic couture looks and elaborate fashion statements. This year’s theme focused on fashion as art and celebrated creative interpretations through couture and styling choices.
In a “Get Ready With Me” video shared by British Vogue, Bhavitha spoke about her excitement before the event.
“This is Bhavitha Mandava. Come get ready with me for the Met Gala, [my] first Met Gala,” she said.
Bhavitha added, "I feel excited, nervous, and I mean, this is also surreal. My look is a couture version of my opening look for Métiers d'Art in New York, paired with some Chanel jewellery."
Recalling how she learned about the invitation, she 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.'”
Soon after her appearance, social media users began criticizing Chanel for dressing Bhavitha in what many described as an overly casual outfit compared to other celebrities and ambassadors at the event.
One X user wrote, "Why did they send Bhavitha to the Met Gala in jeans?? This feels like a microaggression."
Another user said, “Every other ambassador is in custom couture, and she’s in a mall outfit? It feels a bit racist.”
Fashion watchdog Diet Prada also highlighted the criticism in an Instagram post. The account said many people from the Indian and South Asian community felt Chanel had failed to properly represent Bhavitha on such a major global platform.
Diet Prada wrote, “The overly casual look which the design house has prioritised for their first ever Indian ambassador seems to peddle a narrative which excludes her from the glamour of her counterparts.”
The post also pointed out that Chanel ambassadors, including Jennie, Margot Robbie, Lily-Rose Depp, Gracie Abrams, and Anna Wintour wore glamorous evening gowns at the event. Fellow Chanel model Awar Odhiang also appeared in a detailed hand-beaded fringe dress.
Some critics believed Chanel was trying to challenge traditional ideas of formal fashion by bringing denim to the Met Gala carpet. Others questioned why this experiment was done during Bhavitha’s debut appearance instead of with other major stars.
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