RARE PHOTOS OF MELANIA TRUM

Melania Trump, born Melanija Knavs in the quiet Slovenian town of Sevnica, rose from humble beginnings in a Communist-era landscape to become one of America’s most unique First Ladies.

Raised by working-class parents—her mother a textile patternmaker, her father a car dealer—she was introduced early to fashion and discipline.

At 16, a local photographer discovered her, launching a modeling career that took her to Vienna, Milan, and Paris.

With a reserved elegance, she stood out in Europe’s fashion circles and eventually moved to New York, aided by agent Paolo Zampolli. There, she entered high-profile campaigns and met Donald Trump in 1998.

A Photography Discovery at 16

 

From Model to First Lady