Meet Yug Sanjay Devalia: 19-year-old Mumbai engineering student who went from college lectures to Dior's Paris runway
ETimes | June 27, 2026 3:39 PM CST
Most college students spend their summer break catching up on sleep, travelling or doing internships. Nineteen-year-old Yug Sanjay Devalia spent his walking the runway for Dior in Paris.
The Borivali youngster, who is currently studying mechanical engineering at Dwarkadas J. Sanghvi College of Engineering in Mumbai, recently made his international runway debut at Dior's Menswear Spring/Summer 2027 show. In doing so, he also became one of the very few Indian male models to walk for the iconic French fashion house.
It's the kind of story that feels almost cinematic. One day you're attending engineering lectures, and the next you're backstage at one of the biggest fashion shows in the world.
Speaking to The Nod Mag in an interview published on June 26, Yug opened up about how quickly life changed for him.
Although engineering is what he's studying, he says creativity has always been where his heart truly belonged.
"To be one of the first Indian male models to walk for Dior menswear feels like a piece of history," he said.
He recalled spending his school days sketching instead of focusing only on academics. Even while casually browsing shopping websites like Amazon or Flipkart, he often found himself looking at the catalogue models and wondering what it would be like to become one of those faces someday.
That dream stayed with him.
Interestingly, his break into modelling came through family. Yug's cousin happened to know Showin Bishop, founder of 28Models. When Bishop visited Mumbai to scout fresh talent, his cousin shared Yug's portfolio.
Everything moved surprisingly fast.
Within just two weeks, the engineering student found himself preparing to walk for Dior.
Of course, getting selected wasn't the end of the journey.
Before flying to Paris, Yug spent nearly six weeks learning the finer details of modelling and runway walking under trainer Sahil Singh at Mumbai's Vision Vogue Academy. From posture and movement to confidence on the runway, he worked on every small detail.
Then came show day.
It began much earlier than he would have liked.
Yug admitted he isn't exactly a morning person, but Dior schedules don't wait. He woke up at 3.30 am for a 5 am call time and swapped his usual Gujarati-style milky tea for coffee to help him get through the morning.
For the show, he wore a checked cropped jacket paired with matching trousers and shirt. While he admitted feeling nervous initially, those nerves disappeared the moment he stepped onto the runway.
The experience also changed how he viewed fashion.
From the outside, runway shows often look glamorous and effortless. But behind the scenes, Yug realised just how much teamwork, patience and coordination go into making a show of that scale happen.
Back home in Mumbai, his family could hardly believe how quickly everything unfolded.
His parents, grandmother and sister were thrilled, although he admitted they were initially worried when he first expressed an interest in modelling. Like many families, they understood how competitive the industry could be.
But they chose to trust him.
"They were very excited," Yug said. "Initially, when I started exploring modelling, they were worried because they know it's difficult to break into the industry. But they trusted me. Now they're so proud."
Despite walking for one of fashion's biggest luxury labels, Yug hasn't abandoned his studies.
Once his summer break ends, he'll return to Mumbai to begin his third year of mechanical engineering. But he already knows where he wants life to take him after graduation.
His plan is to pursue modelling full-time.
For now, he's soaking in every moment of his Paris experience, whether that's spending time with fellow Indian models or simply enjoying quiet evenings near the Eiffel Tower.
And if he gets to tick another dream off his list?
Prada is next.
Although, if Dior comes calling again, he admits he wouldn't think twice before saying yes.
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