Okky believes positive attitude benefits beauty
By Stevie Emilia
JAKARTA (JP): With her typical Indonesian face, slender figure and perfect height, it's no wonder that top model Okky Asokawati has become prominent designers' favorite choice and the source of other women's envy, even now after she has retired from the catwalk.
Starting her career as a model when she first appeared in Gadis teen magazine in 1978, Okky's way to success was certainly not a bumpy road.
Her first appearance was then followed by more in other magazines, such as Femina and the now-defunct Kartini women's publications. Later she took to the catwalk which shot her to fame.
Okky said she did not dream about becoming a model in the first place. When she was a teenager, she only wished to be famous.
"I became a model just by accident," smiled 38-year-old Okky. Her radiant face and gleaming eyes, which reflect her determined personality, make her look younger than her real age.
She said at the time she wanted to be a singer like her favorite, Emilia Contessa. She even tried to take part in a children's pop singer contest, only to find that the registration was closed.
Still, her wish to be famous did not die.
"When Gadis magazine was first published, I was at senior high school. I tried out for being the magazine's model and it worked," said the graduate of the University of Indonesia's School of Psychology.
The fact that she has left the catwalk does not mean she has completely stopped her activities.
Long before her retirement, Okky made plans to survive in the fashion world by setting up her own modeling school in 1988. Her school's alumni include model Wiwid, actress Inneke Koesherawati and AB Three singers, Widi, Nola and Lucy. Now, apart from OQ Modeling School, her training center also includes OQ Modeling Agency and OQ Personality School.
Okky also tried her luck in other things.
She once tried to become a journalist in various media, such as with Matra magazine, the now-defunct Sarinah women's publication and Gaya family magazine.
But now she confessed that working with the media was not for her.
"Recently, there was a person asking me to be an expert editor, but I turned it down. I feel that my luck is not in magazines... I think that's not where my place should be," said the fifth of six children in her family.
These days, one can also see her addressing seminars on psychology and etiquette, hosting fashion program Gaya at private TV station SCTV on Saturdays, as commentator at fashion shows, and soon, she will appear in a sinetron, Senandung (Humming A Tune), on Indosiar.
"This sinetron thing is new to me and I feel a challenge in it," said the 174-cm tall Okky. While filming the sinetron, she was asked to cry and was able to do so only after a picture of her daughter was shown.
Despite the challenge, she does enjoy her new career.
"I enjoy playing in sinetron... it feels so good that you can be another person...," said the mother of four-year-old Tanisa Diva Siti Mubarani from her 14 years of marriage with noted photographer Firman Ichsan.
Amid her glittering status as celebrity, Okky still manages to spend quality time together with her daughter, the center of her life. She also spends most of her spare time reading.
"I enjoy my roles either as mother or celebrity. When I go out with Diva, I'm a mother with her daughter. But when I go to a party, I really play my role as celebrity," said Okky, who still wants more children.
At a time when many women do whatever they can at whatever cost to stay beautiful, Okky shared her beauty secret with The Jakarta Post in the comfort of her cool office decorated with several drawings belonging to her daughter.
Here are excerpts from the interview:
Question: What is your definition of beauty?
Answer: From the age of 17 years until one reaches 30, beauty is still judged from one's physical appearance, such as having a good body or beautiful face.
But when one reaches 31 years, beauty means more with a positive mental attitude.
Q: Does the definition apply to you too?
A: Yes. When I started my career in modeling and until retirement, beauty was associated with physical appearance. I exercised like crazy, three times a week, even with a dumbbell.
But when I reached the age of 32 years until now, it's been different. In order to stay attractive, I nurture, feed my attitude, meaning my mental attitude. How I face life, people or deal with problems.
And now, physical exercise is not as crazy as it used to be. These days, I only exercise about twice a month, and I even do facials on my own at home. I realize that to stay attractive at the age I mentioned before, one can't completely rely on physical appearance only...
Q: Is it really important to stay beautiful?
A: In my opinion, beauty will really mean something if it can benefit other people. Now, I want to be useful to others. In my case, I have a project, a leadership project, that will make me be able to motivate others. If we are able to motivate others, it means that we're being useful.
Q: What do you think of the present trend that many women will do anything, from applying chemical concoctions to having surgery, to be beautiful?
A: I think it's all right to do so. Any woman has the right to do whatever she thinks will be the best for her as long as it lifts her confidence. There's no problem with it.
If others do not like such things, by being negative and not doing it themselves, it means that they have a negative attitude. Everyone has the right to do whatever they like with their own body...
Q: Does that mean those who do anything to stay beautiful have low confidence?
A: Yes, you can put it that way. Because if a woman was confident with what she has, she would not feel the need to make any changes, right?
Q: What do you think of the result, is it satisfying?
A: People who did it might be satisfied with it (the result).
But somehow it does not look natural, you know, either in the way she smiles or when the changes do not fit her age.
Q: Do you ever do such things to stay beautiful?
A: No, I have not. Maybe later.
Q: What do you do to stay beautiful?
A: I get enough sleep, from 11:30 p.m. until 7:30 a.m. And I try hard not to eat too much or get too full, although I still want to and the food is really tempting.
In the morning, I have a small breakfast, sometimes I only eat fried tofu or a slice of papaya. But there are times when I eat ketoprak (vegetables mixed with nut sauce), too. Then, I have a large meal at lunch. But I keep myself from getting too full. And at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., I eat snacks and sometimes I even eat a banana split.
And at 6 p.m., I have my last meal of the day. It can be rice or pasta. After that, if I still want to eat something, I eat fruit only.
Q: How about exercise?
A: I don't exercise as much as I used to. Now, I exercise any time I can remember to. It's usually stretching exercises for my behind, my interior and exterior thighs and upper chest to make my shoulders stay in shape... I don't go to a fitness center anymore.
Q: Do you have any regular treatments?
A: I regularly tone my hair once a month. I have been doing it since I was still in university because I've had gray hair since 14 years of age. I also have creambath, manicure and pedicure once a month. But I don't go to the beauty parlor to have facials because my face is really sensitive. Even my doctor does not let me use moisturizer since it makes my face oily and pimply.
Q: How much does it cost you?
A: Not very much.
Q: Less than a million rupiah?
A: Yes, because I get discounts. People might spend lots of rupiah to tone their hair, but I get a 50 percent discount.
Q: Are you satisfied?
A: As long as life goes on, I will go on. If I feel satisfied, maybe I won't mature further. I'll get stuck. I always behave in a normal way, meaning that whenever I face someone, I can accept what he or she says and be open. I do not want to pretend I'm good at everything.
Q: Do you feel beautiful?
A: I feel mature actually. It's more physical and mental.
If we think of ourselves as beautiful, it will only be about physical appearance. Besides, it will make us worry all the time about this or that or wrinkles...