Indian fashion junkie Ananya Panday had etched her name in the global fashion history by becoming the first ever Indian brand ambassador of legendary French luxury brand Chanel. Announced on April 16, 2025, it marks the 26-year old Bollywood actress as a force to be reckoned with not only for her glamorous looks but also for her voice of the new generation.
Taking to Instagram, the Kesari Chapter 2 star shared an Instagram photo dump of her journey with Chanel and wrote: ‘Beyond grateful, and excited for this journey, with @chanelofficial. First ever brand ambassador of and from India. Dreams really do come true.”
India’s rapidly growing luxury market is on the list of the label’s priorities, so much so that Ananya’s appointment comes exactly a year after she attended Chanel’s show at Paris Fashion Week. Chanel’s emerging brand identity also perfectly coincides with her youthful elegance, modern femininity and bold individuality.
When asked by Business of Fashion about her ambassadorship, Ananya noted that “this ambassadorship embodies a new generation of changing tastes and trend-making egos living with a curiosity to explore the world.” And Chanel in turn praised her as the ideal representative, saying her values “harmonize with Chanel, making her the ideal representative of the house.”
This is no less than a mark of a new era, not just for Ananya Panday but also for India’s footprints in the global luxury playground. But her historic role is symbolic of a cultural shift that is not only westernising, but also one that is embracing diversity, youth and aspirational narratives as brands around the world look eastward.
Ananya Panday is not just wearing Chanel but redefining it from Bollywood to the heart of Parisian couture.
