Top 10 female runway models 2026: Bhavitha Mandava and more

Bhavitha Mandava, discovered in a Brooklyn subway, has become a muse for Matthieu Blazy at both Bottega Veneta and Chanel, poised for a breakout year in 2026.

Fashion

Credits: Top 10 Runway Models 2026 Main Photos ©Launchmetrics/spotlight

By Jayne Mountford

Chanel Creative Director Matthieu Blazy staged the house’s annual Métiers d’Art show in a disused New York subway station. At the start of the show, a lone figure descended the stairs onto the platform: it was Bhavitha Mandava, a recent NYU graduate from India.

Credits: Chanel Métiers d’Art 2026 ©Launchmetrics/spotlight

In a fitting twist, Mandava was discovered just over a year ago on the platform of a Brooklyn subway station and has since become something of a muse for Blazy—first at Bottega Veneta and now at Chanel.

Credits: Bottega Veneta SS25 ©Launchmetrics/spotlight

Recently profiled by The New York Times and boasting an Instagram following of more than 400,000, she is poised for a standout year ahead. Expect to see much more of her in 2026.

Here are the ten female models who walked the most major shows in 2025—and who we anticipate will continue to dominate the runways in 2026.

Betsy Gaghan

Credits: Chloé SS26 ©Launchmetrics/spotlight

Nationality: American
Agency: Next New York
IG Handle: betsygaghan
IG Followers: 14.4K
2025 Runways Walked: 74

Hejia Li

Credits: Chanel SS26 ©Launchmetrics/spotlight

Nationality: Chinese
Agency: esee model mgmnt, Shanghai
IG Handle: hejialiiiii
IG Followers: 5K
2025 Runways Walked: 70

Sara Caballero

Credits: Victoria Beckham SS26 ©Launchmetrics/spotlight

Nationality: Chilean/Spanish
Agency: Elite Paris
IG Handle: saaracaballero
IG Followers: 12.5K
2025 Runways Walked: 68

Awar Odhiang

Credits: Hermès SS26 ©Launchmetrics/spotlight

Nationality: Canadian
Agency: Mode Models Calgary
IG Handle: awarodhiang
IG Followers: 57.3K
2025 Runways Walked: 67

Luiza Perote

Credits: Mugler SS26 ©Launchmetrics/spotlight

Nationality: Brazilian
Agency: Evol Mngmnt São Paulo
IG Handle: luizaperotee
IG Followers: 104K
2025 Runways Walked: 63

Penelope Ternes

Credits: Dries Van Noten SS26 ©Launchmetrics/spotlight

Nationality: German
Agency: Women Mngmnt, New York
IG Handle: penelope.ternes
IG Followers: 11.6K
2025 Runways Walked: 33

Lulu Tenney

Credits: Isabel Marant SS26 ©Launchmetrics/spotlight

Nationality: American
Agency: Lumien Creative, New York
IG Handle: lulutenney
IG Followers: 79K
2025 Runways Walked: 33

Agel Akol

Nationality: Canadian
Agency: the Nobles Mngmnt Calgary
IG Handle: agellyva
IG Followers: 3K
2025 Runways Walked: 32

Athiec Geng

Nationality: South Sudanese
Agency: Fusion Models, New York
IG Handle: athiec_geng
IG Followers: 4K
2025 Runways Walked: 32

Sascha Rajasalu

Nationality: Swedish/Estonian
Agency: MIKAs Stockholm
IG Handle: Sascha._.alexandra
IG Followers: 12K
2025 Runways Walked: 32

2026

Catwalk

Model

Modelling

Runway