48 Hours at Milan Fashion Week With Modeling’s Hottest New Man, Jeenu Mahadevan

With his fresh face and flowing black hair, the 21-year-old male model Jeenu Mahadevan stood out from the pack during Milan Fashion Week. Born in Norway to Sri Lankan parents, Mahadevan has been a fixture on the men’s fashion month schedule ever since he was discovered on a bus in Oslo four years ago. This season—his fifth in Milan—proved to be as busy as ever for the rising runway star. After a stop in London, where he walked for Wales Bonner and Pronounce, he racked up a number of impressive appearances on the Milan catwalks (Ermenegildo Zegna, Ralph Lauren’s Purple Label, and Alexander McQueen) while capturing all the behind-the-scenes action for Vogue in an exclusive photo diary.

By now Milan is a second home for Mahadevan. His favorite part about embracing la dolce vita? “Probably the really good and cheap food,” Mahadevan told Vogue. “It’s also very chill in the sense that you mostly do castings for brands that are interested. The casting-job ratio is usually much better than in London or Paris.” This season, he also squeezed in a quick trip to see the Duomo cathedral—and a pasta break!—between all of the castings and run-throughs. “I’ve always been a pretty calm and collectsed guy, so I don’t usually get lost in the Fashion Week chaos,” he said.

Fashion-wise, Mahadevan’s personal highlight from the week was being cast in Ralph Lauren’s Purple Label presentation, where he suited up in a classic evening tuxedo. He described the show as a “really relaxed presentation with a super-fun cast and team.” He also “jeweled up” at Alexander McQueen and hung out with fellow models Rishi Robin and Walter Wang backstage at Zegna. “Zegna was also amazing—[it’s] always flattering when brands keep booking you,” he said. “Fourth time in a row doing that show, and it’s always great fun.”

Below, Mahadevan’s Milan Fashion Week photo diary.