Time - INT (2022-06-06)

B A J A R I A : P E T E R YA N G — A U G U S T; D E M N A S O U R C E P H O T O : TAY L O R H I L L— F I L M M A G I C/G E T T Y I M A G E S
Bela Bajaria

Hitmaker

BY MINDY KALING

Demna

Cutting-edge designerCutting-edge designer

B Y A L E X A D E M I EB Y A L E X A D E M I E

Scrolling through images Scrolling through images

of the Balenciaga couture of the Balenciaga couture

collection designed by collection designed by

Demna, my heart jumped, Demna, my heart jumped,

then opened. It was the then opened. It was the

same way I felt when same way I felt when

I paged through my moth-I paged through my moth-

er’s fashion magazines as er’s fashion magazines as

a little girl. I could feel the a little girl. I could feel the

care and respect he had for care and respect he had for

the heritage and history of the heritage and history of

Balenciaga, and for Cris-Balenciaga, and for Cris-

tóbal, the man who created tóbal, the man who created

the eponymous brand. the eponymous brand.

Demna’s execution felt at Demna’s execution felt at

once timeless and new. once timeless and new.

Less than a year later, Less than a year later,

I had the pleasure of wear-I had the pleasure of wear-

ing three custom Balenci-ing three custom Balenci-

aga looks for the premiere aga looks for the premiere

of my show of my show Euphoria.Euphoria. I got I got

to feel how delicately intri-to feel how delicately intri-

cate yet comfortable each cate yet comfortable each

piece was; I felt powerful piece was; I felt powerful

and free. His silhouettes, and free. His silhouettes,

whether baggy or tight, whether baggy or tight,

seem to fi t the body in all seem to fi t the body in all

the right places. The dual-the right places. The dual-

ity that Demna presents ity that Demna presents

not only refl ects the times, not only refl ects the times,

but forges ahead into the but forges ahead into the

future. His intention behind future. His intention behind

the brand feels deeper the brand feels deeper

than selling a product, and than selling a product, and

that is why the Balenciaga that is why the Balenciaga

effect is being felt all over effect is being felt all over

the world. the world.

Demie is an actorDemie is an actor

You know those people who just make
things happen? The ones that hear
no, or are told, “It’s not going to work
out,” and take that as simply a matter
of opinion, and not as fact? That’s Bela
Bajaria. Her career is full of gambles
that have materialized into huge suc-
cesses. This is a risky path that we—
as women of color in entertainment—
are not always encouraged to take.
Bela is helping create the fu-
ture of television. The shows she
has shepherded have become global
phenomenons, bridging people and

cultures by reminding us that, at the

end of the day, we all love sex (Bridger-

ton), love (Indian Matchmaking), and

sometimes, yes, murder competitions

(Squid Game). She is opening doors for

women and people of color by support-

ing them and giving them a platform

to make hits. My show, Never Have

I Ever, a coming-of-age comedy about

an Indian American teen, was seen by

40 million people when it debuted on

Netfl ix. It was Bela’s idea to make that

show! I worried it would be too spe-

cifi c and niche to have wide appeal.

Bela had the foresight to see that there

is no “niche” anymore—there’s just

good, relatable storytelling, which is al-

ways universal.

Kaling is an actor and an Emmy-

nominated producer and writer

78 TIME June 6/June 13, 2022