Hyderabad Boy Sets the NYFW Runway Ablaze
With his Hanuman pendant close to his heart, his mother’s eye for colour, and a painter’s lens on style, Aditya Chintapalli is redefining the runway. NYFW is only the beginning — but his roots will always walk beside him
When Hyderabad-born Aditya Chintapalli stepped onto the runway at Elie Balleh’s show at New York Fashion Week, he wasn’t just wearing designer couture — he was carrying a piece of home. Around his neck hung a simple Hanuman pendant, a gift from his grandmother that has become his quiet charm.
“Just knowing it’s there fills me with strength and confidence, connecting me to something much larger than myself,” he says.
At this season’s NYFW, Aditya has already walked for Elie Balleh (Sept 8) and Runway 7 for MONKSTR (Sept 10). Next, he takes the stage at International Heritage Fashion Week on Sept 11, followed by The Fashion Week Experience in Times Square on Sept 13. That very first walk has already proven to be transformative for him. “The moment I stepped onto that runway, everything felt surreal — the lights, the flashes, the cameras,” he recalls. “But then something remarkable happened: My mind went completely blank. In that emptiness, I found pure presence. It was almost meditative — being fully in the moment while maintaining that essential runway composure.”
Hyderabad in his heart
Aditya may have spent years abroad, but his heart still finds its anchor in Hyderabad. For him, the city is more than a place on the map — it’s where his story begins and where his roots run deep.
“I was born to a father from Ongole and a mother from Nizamabad. We moved to New York when I was in 8th grade, and while my parents later shifted to Singapore, I stayed on until 2021. They’re back in Hyderabad, where my father — a former executive director at Bank of India — runs a 1,000-acre sugarcane venture. With grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins across the city, my roots here remain unshakable. And at the heart of it all, I carry the quiet inspiration of my mother, who once stitched polo logos onto shirts when branded clothes were beyond our reach.”
Before each show, he grounds himself by listening to Tyagaraja’s classical compositions or Mehdi Hassan’s soul-stirring ghazals.
on Process Over Outcome
Aditya’s artistry extends far beyond the runway. He has lived many lives — as a painter, actor, director, engineer, and model — each discipline adding new depth to his creative lens. “My mother has always been my style compass,” he says. “She taught me how to see colours, how to pair jewellery, how elements can harmonise or clash. Later, my painting practice deepened this. Now I see style with a painter’s eye — thoughtful, intentional, layered.” For Aditya, authenticity outweighs outcomes. “Don’t become attached to results,” he reflects. “When I paint or model, if I start thinking about where it’s leading, I lose my creative fire. The same applies everywhere — trust the process, stay authentic. There will always be voices questioning you, but your inner conviction must be louder.”
