Words Yuliasri Perdani Photos Jerry Adiguna

Izabel Jahja is not the ambitious young model of two decades ago, but she still is a skillful multitasker — balancing her roles as a wife, mother and public relations executive, as well as occasional work as a model and MC.

After residing in Kuala Lumpur for four years, she is back in her beloved hometown of Jakarta, along with husband David Lusteaux and her 6-year-old daughter, Zoe. For the past 10 months the family has lived in a serene housing complex that lies only a short distance from busy Jl. Fatmawati in South Jakarta.

When Izabel and Zoe arrived at their house, she immediately greeted us before preparing herself for the photo shoot. Meanwhile, in the living room, Zoe turned on the TV and played the 1970s music video “Magnolias For Ever” by French crooner Claude François on YouTube. In fluent English, she remarked she had to perform the song at her school, the French international school.

In between responding to Zoe’s questions in French, Izabel skillfully struck different poses and finished the photo shoot in the house and at poolside just before sunset.

The part-French, part-Indonesian model said she has evolved since the arrival of Zoe in 2010. Known as a leading model and media professional in the 2000s, she is now enjoying a more relaxed but still active life.

Izabel was so focused on her work in media that she did not think about dating; she married David, a hotel marketing executive, at age 33.

“I didn’t even have a boyfriend because I loved working so much. I had a close friend, but when he asked me to be his girlfriend ... I instantly thought ‘he wants to marry me eventually’ and I felt reluctant.”

Zoe arrived when Izabel was at the top of her game in media as the editor-in-chief of leading female publication Harper’s Bazaar Indonesia.

“It was the work that I was passionate about,” Izabel said. “But the work offered me very limited family time. We handled many events on weekends. Sometimes, I went abroad for two weeks.”

Despite her packed schedule of activities and lack of sleep, Izabel passed the first year of motherhood with flying colors — breastfeeding Zoe throughout the year with a little help from daun katuk (sweet leaves) pills.

When her husband landed several projects in Kuala Lumpur, Izabel left her journalism career to focus on her family.

“Our time in Malaysia was precious. The three of us always spent time together.”

Izabel turned a vacant corner of her residence in Kuala Lumpur into a painting gallery, Gudang Gambar, which offered quality, affordable art pieces by Indonesian, Vietnamese and Chinese artists.

When the family returned to Jakarta, her former boss at A+ magazine, Felly Imransyah, asked her to join the public relations and marketing team of Syah Establishments, a hospitality and entertainment company that manages hangouts, including Lucy in the Sky Bar in SCBD and Bau-Haus 1933 Bar and Restaurant in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

SALAD DAYS

From starting her modeling career at the age of 12, Izabel became a leading model and a favorite muse for the likes of designers Edward Hutabarat and Biyan. Izabel still keeps her old notebooks detailing her packed schedules of photo shoots and fashion shows in Jakarta, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and China.

“When I opened the notebooks, I found a crazy schedule — flying here and there all the time. I was so active back then. Now, I just want to stay at home, feed my daughter and do nothing,” she chuckled.

Izabel said her modeling career gave her the chance to explore the world and to adapt to different situations.

“Being a model is full of financial uncertainty. We must diligently save money. Unlike now, with a monthly salary, everything can be easily organized.”

She settled back in Indonesia in 2002, serving as a radio announcer at Hard Rock FM. Her shift to print media started with A+ magazine, where she took the role of fashion director before being appointed the magazine’s editor-in-chief. That led to Bazaar.

“There were no challenges in modeling anymore,” she said. “As we grow up, we find something we want to develop. I chose to enter media.”

Her priorities have shifted significantly since the last time she was in Jakarta. Back in 2010, Izabel and David stayed in an apartment in Kuningan for the convenience of reaching her Menteng office.

Now, her utmost priority is to ensure that Zoe can reach her school in Cipete, South Jakarta, on time. The family chose a house within walking distance of the school.

“I studied at the French school, too, and my mother was a teacher. We drove by car from Cempaka Putih [Central Jakarta] to the school every day, from when I was in kindergarten until I graduated high school. Jakarta was already filled with traffic congestion back then.”

Living in Jakarta helps Zoe to practice her Indonesian language. She speaks in French with Izabel and David, who is also part-French and part-Indonesian, but communicates with the household helpers in Indonesian.

The mother and daughter also struck an adorable pose for a Tribute To Mom “Conversations” photo exhibition at Plaza Indonesia in May.

She and David are planning to expand their family, which has not been as easy as they anticipated.

“Seven months after the wedding, I got pregnant. Now, it must be planned,” Izabel, who turned 40 this year, said. “And the doctor said that maybe David and I need to relax. There’s no problem. It just hasn’t happened yet.”

Izabel still does occasional modeling and MC-ing gigs that suit her office hours and family time.

“For a fashion show, I only rehearse in the morning, back to the office, and return to the venue, putting on makeup and walking the runway. I cannot be at the venue all day.”

She said she enjoyed every step of her diverse career — from modeling to print media to marketing.

“You have to put your passion in there. My principle is do the thing that you love to do. If you have any reservations, just don’t force yourself to do it.”

If she could turn back time, Izabel wished that she had had children earlier.

“What I mean is having children earlier, not marrying earlier,” Izabel emphasized, grinning. “It turns out that having a little child at my age is quite tough. But, the good thing is I am more mature, I can control my emotions better.”

Izabel hopes that Zoe develops the ability to adapt in different places.

“It is important that my children can live anywhere — just like me and my husband,” she said, noting that David had resided in various countries throughout his childhood.

That being said, Izabel hopes her family is here in Jakarta for the long run.

“I am happy to be in Jakarta. My whole family is here.”

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