Who is Yug Sanjay Devalia? 19-year-old Mumbai engineering student makes Dior runway debut

One day, he was attending mechanical engineering lectures in Mumbai. Just weeks later, he was walking one of fashion's most prestigious runways in Paris.

Meet Yug Sanjay Devalia, the 19-year-old engineering student from Borivali, Mumbai, who has become one of the few Indian male models to walk for Dior Menswear Spring/Summer 2027, turning what began as a summer break into a career-defining moment.

From Borivali to Paris

Yug is currently a mechanical engineering student at Dwarkadas J. Sanghvi College of Engineering in Mumbai. But while engineering may be his academic pursuit, creativity has always been his first love.

"I've always been more artistic than academic," he told The Nod, recalling how he spent his school days sketching and imagining himself in the catalogue photographs he saw on shopping websites like Amazon and Flipkart.

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That dream, once confined to his phone screen, has now taken him to one of the world's biggest luxury fashion houses.

The opportunity that changed everything, in just 15 days

Yug's breakthrough came through a family connection. His cousin happened to know Showin Bishop, founder of 28Models, who was scouting fresh talent in Mumbai. After seeing Yug's portfolio, Bishop recognised his potential.

The timeline that followed was astonishing. Within just 15 days, the Mumbai teenager found himself flying to Paris to walk for Dior. Before making his debut, he also trained for about six weeks under runway coach Sahil Singh at Mumbai's Vision Vogue Academy, learning everything from posture and gait to runway discipline.

A rare moment for Indian male models

Walking for Dior is considered a milestone even for established international models.

Yug's debut is particularly significant because he is among the very few Indian male models to have appeared on the French luxury house's runway. At the show, he walked alongside fellow Indian model Aryan Prakash, marking an important moment for Indian representation in global menswear fashion.

The Dior debut

For the Dior Menswear Spring/Summer 2027 presentation, Yug wore a checked cropped jacket layered over a matching shirt and tailored trousers, a look that fashion observers described as youthful and aristocratic.

His family's biggest moment

Back home, his family watched the Dior show with immense pride.

Yug lives with his parents, sister and grandmother in Mumbai. His father is an interior designer, while his sister is pursuing a master's degree in Data Science.

He admitted that when he first expressed an interest in modelling, his family had concerns about how difficult the industry could be. Those worries, however, soon gave way to excitement when Dior came calling. On Instagram, he wrote, "My younger self would not believe this. I grew up in Dahisar East, Mumbai. With my mom, my dad, my sister, my grandmother, everyone under one roof. That is just how we do it. That is who we are. Close. Together always. My mom trying to understand why her son is suddenly traveling to Paris. My dad quietly adapting, saying nothing but meaning everything. My sister who never stopped believing. My family who showed up for every single step without even fully understanding where the steps were leading. The last few weeks have been so magical, so surreal, so fast. And through all of it they were right there. All of them. Together. Like always. I am a dreamer. I have always been a dreamer. But to go from dreamer to Dior, that is something I will never be able to fully put into words. This is my family watching me debut with Dior. My first show. For every kid from Mumbai who was told the dream was too big. It is not."

Engineering first, for now

Despite his international debut, Yug isn't leaving college behind just yet.

He plans to return to Mumbai to begin his third year of mechanical engineering, complete his degree, and then pursue modelling full-time. As for his dream runway? He says he'd love to walk for Prada, while admitting he'd happily return to Dior if given another opportunity.