The Run-Through with Vogue

Episode: Bhavitha Mandava Is British Vogue’s March Cover Star | PLUS First Thoughts From Dior

Date: March 4, 2026
Hosts: Chloe Malle, Chioma Nnadi, and team
Major Theme:
This episode celebrates Bhavitha Mandava—British Vogue’s March cover star—delving into her remarkable journey in the fashion industry. The team also recaps first impressions from the Dior show in Paris, offering engaging insights into the show’s atmosphere, styling, and standout moments. The episode weaves together themes of representation, personal transformation, fashion’s evolving landscape, and the palpable excitement found at the center of global fashion’s marquee events.

Highlights & Key Segments

1. Live from Paris: Dior’s Spring Show

[00:46–09:40]

• Arrival & Show Atmosphere

  • Chelsea Daniel and team drive past the Place de la Concorde, noting the “starry, chaotic arrival scene” characteristic of Dior in the Tuileries (01:15).
  • Chelsea shares her excitement about the rumored connection between the show's exterior and interior based on clues from the invitations (01:15).
  • Notable attendees include Greta Lee, Mikey Madison, Jennifer Lawrence, and Anya Taylor Joy.

• Set & Weather

  • The set resembles a greenhouse: “We were all baking under the sun in the glass… one of the sweatiest Dior shows ever. But sweat is in. Glossy skin is in.” — Arden Fanning Andrews, [04:02]
  • “People found a little exit ramp that they could stand half outside. Nora Milch, the fashion director at W, who's seven months pregnant, was like there until the very last minute.” — Chelsea Daniel, [08:21]

• Designs & Accessories

  • Lily pads and lilies are recurring motifs—accessories (shoes, earrings, bags) swept through the collection (04:19).
  • “I loved the lily pad shoes. They were my favorite accessories I’ve seen in a while and just so cute and special.” — Peter Phillips, [04:46]

• Beauty Direction

  • Beauty inspiration: “A Charlotte Gainsbourg type of French meets London girl… smudgy liner that was supposed to look slept in and cool.” — Arden Fanning Andrews, [05:44]
  • Models sported “wiglets,” small messy extensions for an undone effect (05:44).

• Music, Styling, & Casting

  • New electronic soundtrack by Frederic Sanchez, “had everyone bopping a little bit.” — Peter Phillips, [08:48]
  • Ashley Broca’s casting and Benjamin Bruno’s styling gave the show “an elegant insouciance” (09:09).
  • Ashley Broca cast Sunday Rose, Nicole Kidman's daughter, for one of her first big shows.

• Standout Looks

  • “I really liked the denim that had sort of this glittering bunting.” — Peter Phillips, [07:18]
  • “Tutu layers of sparkling skirts, topped with a bar jacket… some fun peplumming volume on jackets… lace pinned together in a haphazardly perfect way, like the Little Mermaid wrapping herself in a sail.” — Chelsea Daniel, [07:29]

2. Bhavitha Mandava: On Becoming British Vogue’s Cover Star

[10:44–50:21]

Immediate Reactions to the Cover

• Inundated with positive feedback, Bhavitha describes the experience as “so surreal,” feeling gratitude for the support she’s received (10:49).
• Discusses a moving conversation with her close friend, designer Matthieu Blazy: “He always believed in me... it wasn’t because I was brown or Indian, it was because of who I am and what I brought to the room.” [12:35]

Family Pride

• Bhavitha shares her parents’ excitement:
  • “My dad already is collecting every newspaper article about me… Vogue’s going to be the first one that they get.” [14:39]
  • Plays a joyous, supportive voice note from her mother, which she translates: “She was just telling me I should always be happy, that I make her proud… and to watch out for Nazar—evil eye.” [16:08]

Coping with Social Media & Representation

• Suddenly went from 5,000 to 500,000 Instagram followers in six months (17:20).
• Discusses blocking terms like “ICE” and “visa” due to discourse around immigration, and clarifies misconceptions about being the first Indian on British Vogue’s cover:
  • “People took it… I didn’t claim anything. The article said model...” — Bhavitha, [19:04]
• On representation:
  • “The point was to keep the representation going. We all are in a way, like, first in our own way.” [19:50]
  • Chioma Nnadi: “Especially in a moment like this, when those values are under attack more than ever.” [20:05]

Origin Story & Discovery

• Bhavitha was scouted at a subway station while waiting for biryani after a job interview rejection (21:11).
  • “I don’t know why… modelling was just like, huh? I’m not interested. But I had student debt, so… okay.” [22:13]
• Valued her mother agent’s professional approach, which allowed her to continue her studies:
  • “I only started enjoying studying when I went into architecture. I truly felt like, oh, wow, this is my calling.” [22:25]

Balancing Education & Fashion

• Worked an on-campus job to support herself while modeling:
  • “With modeling, even though I did Bottega, you don’t really earn money by walking a show… it’s other jobs that follow.” [24:03]
• Turned down lucrative gigs to attend exams; prioritized finishing her master’s degree (25:15).
  • “When I graduated, I did not have many jobs. It was only when Chanel approached… that things started turning around.” [25:17]

Learning Fashion After Entering the Industry

• Confesses that she didn’t know of many designer brands before modeling; was candid with Matthieu Blazy on their first meeting (27:38).
• On Blazy’s approach:
  • “I view him as a storyteller more than a designer… in the couture show, all the models had their initials embroidered into the outfit.” [30:08]

Becoming the Chanel Bride

• After being told she was going to be the Chanel bride, Bhavitha did in-depth research:
  • “I went to the library in Paris and started browsing books about couture, the techniques… and what it has evolved now into.” [31:42]
  • Sought to channel nervousness and excitement: “I was going to view the runway as if I’m walking down the aisle.” [34:00]

About the Clothes & Experience

• Describes the craftsmanship behind her couture outfit: mother-of-pearl used in the clothing, with substitutions for lightness (36:21).
• Featured a young couturier: “He was 20 years old, so emotional… his first show, his first job. This is how you preserve art, right? By teaching the youth.” [37:57]

Casting & Early Fashion Memories

• Early casting days: wore NYU T-shirts before realizing most models wore black mini-skirts.
  • “I just went back to wearing whatever I was wearing.” [40:09]
• On the intimidating experience: “You just walk for, like, 10 seconds… and that’s it. So I don’t have any chance to be a personality hire here!” [41:15]

What’s Next & College Friends’ Reactions

• Unsure about future paths, values flexibility:
  • “I feel like right now, my life’s a dream. But before, I was still leaning towards getting a corporate job… Now, there’s no safe path anymore, so might as well just pick the craziest.” [42:46]
• On college roommates:
  • “They’re just like, how did you go from getting fevers before presentations to opening shows?” [44:26]

The Power of Representation

• Talks about viral moments and emotional resonance for audiences not typically interested in fashion:
  • “A lot of moms wrote me emails saying they showed their daughters my photos and videos to help them be confident in themselves.” [45:24]
  • Draws parallels to the supermodel era, when fans felt a personal connection to models’ wins (46:54).

Reflection on Work at Chanel

• On fitting modeling at Chanel:
  • “Me working as a fitting model at Chanel has healed me… when I was working as an architect, it was a toxic environment—here, people are genuinely happy.” [47:55]

Making Custom Gifts

• Bhavitha shares she’s making artisan keychains as gifts for the team at Chanel:
  • “I’ve been working with a studio back home in Mumbai to make a keychain of a rat dressed in the look I opened with. It has a functioning bag, earrings dangling… making that for the whole team.” [49:44]
  • “I want one!” — Team reaction, [49:45]

3. Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Sweat is in. Glossy skin is in.” — Arden Fanning Andrews, [04:02]
• “It wasn’t because I was brown or Indian… it was because of the person that I was and what I brought to the room.” — Bhavitha Mandava, [12:35]
• “We all are, in a way, first in our own way.” — Bhavitha Mandava, [19:50]
• “You just walk for, like, 10 seconds and they’re like ‘thank you for coming’… So I don’t have any chance to be a personality hire here!” — Bhavitha Mandava, [41:15]
• “I feel like right now, my life’s a dream… There’s no safe path anymore, so might as well just pick the craziest.” — Bhavitha Mandava, [42:46]
• “When I was working as an architect, it was a toxic environment—here [Chanel], people are genuinely happy… it’s healed me.” — Bhavitha Mandava, [47:55]

Summary Table of Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | Highlights | |--------------|------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:46–09:40 | Dior Paris Show Coverage | Set, styling, beauty, attendees, standout looks | | 10:44–16:54 | Bhavitha Mandava reaction & family pride | Cover response, family reactions, cultural rituals | | 17:00–20:05 | Social media & representation discourse | Navigating fame, dealing with identity discourse | | 21:11–26:42 | Discovery story & balancing school/modeling | Subway scouting, education, early hardships, perseverance | | 27:29–31:42 | Relationship with designers, fashion research | Blazy’s mentorship, learning fashion from scratch | | 34:00–37:55 | Walking as the Chanel Bride, set intricacies | Channeling emotions, craftsmanship, honoring artisans | | 40:09–41:15 | Castings & early astonishment | Fitting in, embracing authenticity | | 42:46–44:26 | Career reflections & college friends | Future, professional flexibility, dramatic transformation | | 45:24–47:55 | Representation’s impact | Viral moments, community inspiration, feedback | | 49:44–50:21 | Keychain project for Chanel team | Custom mementos, appreciation, gratitude |

Final Thoughts

This episode offers an inspiring, humanizing glimpse into the world of high fashion through Bhavitha Mandava’s eyes. It spotlights her quick ascent, the support of family and mentors, and her recognition of the power and responsibility of representation. With engaging recaps of the Dior show and behind-the-scenes insights, “The Run-Through with Vogue” continues to blend humor, candor, and trend-savvy reporting — making fashion both aspirational and deeply personal.