Celebrity
People Are Just Noticing How Much Melania Trump’s Look Has Changed Over The Years
Her aspirations began early, in a town that was unable to accommodate them. Soon, a fortuitous meeting led to runways both nearby and far away. She quit her job to take on a completely different public position years later.
Melania Trump’s early modelling images have reignited her curiosity about her changing looks over time. Online users widely shared the pictures, prompting comparisons between Melania Trump’s appearance then and now. Her narrative begins in a small community, distant from the world she would eventually inhabit.
Born Melanija Knavs on April 26, 1970, in Novo Mesto, a hamlet in what was then Yugoslavia, Melania Trump is the first lady of the United States. She grew up in Sevnica, a small industrial town on the Sava River that is well-known for its apartment buildings from the Communist era and manufacturing chimneys.
Her family lived in one of the beautifully painted buildings that housed her primary school. Before working as a driver for a local mayor and then the director of a government-owned textile business, her father, Viktor Knavs, was a car salesman.
Her mother, Amalija, worked in the same field, designing clothes for a company. Public records classified Viktor as a Communist Party member, but a campaign representative later said he had never actively participated in the party.
Former classmates and childhood acquaintances recall Melania as quiet, polite, and focused on her studies. Mirjana Jelancic, a school friend who later became the headmistress of their school, described her as “an excellent student, very organised and disciplined, with very decent manners.”
She added that Melania never used foul language and rarely raised her voice. Melania had a keen interest in fashion even as a young child. She originally aspired to be a designer and frequently repurposed old garments to create new looks.
According to Jelancic, “Sevnica was too small for her.” When she was little, Melania frequently expressed her desire to leave her hometown. Her future will ultimately follow her early love in fashion. During her adolescence, that route started to take shape.
Slovenian photographer Stane Jerko found Melania at the age of sixteen as she was at the Festival Hall in Ljubljana waiting for a friend. Near the conclusion of a fashion show in January 1987, Jerko had just gone outside when he saw her standing on the steps.
He went up to her and proposed a photo shoot after being impressed by her attractiveness. Melania brought her clothes to the studio for their first photo session. Despite her initial reluctance, she did what Jerko instructed. Later, Jerko asked her to return for a second photo session, this time showcasing clothing from a nearby textile mill.
She showed interest in learning the technical parts of a session and soon felt more comfortable in front of the camera. Her career as a professional model started with those sessions. Melania started modelling in Paris and Milan after she graduated from high school.
She took on jobs all around the European fashion circuit, steadily expanding her network of contacts and portfolio. Along with Slovenian and Serbo-Croatian, she learnt to speak English, German, French, and Italian fluently during this period.
For professional purposes, she changed her name to Melania Knauss, and she kept up a steady career throughout the 1990s. She made the decision to relocate to New York City in 1996 in order to make a name for herself in the American market. Her career took a significant shift when she relocated to New York.
Additionally, it resulted in the introduction that would eventually put her in the public eye. In 1998, Melania met Donald Trump New York City gathering that modelling agency owner Paolo Zampolli threw. Arriving with Celina Midelfart, a Norwegian cosmetics heiress, Trump went up to Melania and requested her phone number.
He was there with someone else, she said, declining. They soon started dating in spite of the initial rejection. In 2000, when Trump was thinking about running for president as a Reform Party candidate, the pair briefly split up. Later on, they made amends and carried on dating.
Melania and Trump made a quick trip back to Slovenia in July 2002. The couple, Melania’s parents, and Trump’s assistant drove to the Grand Hotel Toplice in Lake Bled after arriving at Ljubljana’s Brnik Airport on Trump’s private jet. They had permission to eat dinner at the restaurant.
They departed the nation before midnight, with Melania providing interpretations all evening. On the evening of the Costume Institute Gala in 2004, Trump asked Melania to marry him. In January 2005, they tied the knot in Palm Beach, Florida. Melania gave birth to their son, Barron, the following year.
She was shown on the steps of Trump’s private jet in a gold bikini for Vogue during her pregnancy. Melania started to leave the fashion industry as she joined her husband in the public eye, although her position as Trump’s wife increased her visibility.
The public’s interest in Melania’s Slovenian heritage grew during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, more than ten years later. In her hometown of Sevnica, opinions differed. Some locals took delight in the prospect of a First Lady who was born in Slovenia.
Others, particularly younger people, were unfamiliar with her or indifferent to the news. One resident, Ilija Nikic, said, “What does it mean to me if she is First Lady? Who cares?” Photographer Jerko said, “I wouldn’t say she is just Donald Trump’s wife. She has something special. I know she is very clever and skilled.”
Her dedication and focus were praised by many who knew her in her younger years. Jelancic, a childhood friend, said she was initially taken aback by Melania’s decision to wed a considerably older man, but that Trump’s work ethic reminded her of Melania’s father.
During the initial phases of her husband’s presidential campaign, Melania Trump kept a low profile. Donald Trump brought his family onstage during her first significant appearance in November 2015 at a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Speaking briefly to the crowd, she said, “Isn’t he the best? He will be the best president ever. We love you.” Trump responded with a kiss and said, “Thank you, honey. Very nice.” This appearance marked the beginning of her transition into a public political role.
at political comments, interviews, and campaign events. People paid more attention to her appearance and attire, frequently drawing comparisons to her previous modelling years.
Melania was renowned for maintaining a low profile during the campaign and her tenure in the White House. Although her public persona changed, she continued to value seclusion. Outside of formal occasions, she frequently shunned the limelight.
Melania resided in Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York. In order to protect the marble floors, visitors to the flat were reportedly obliged to don surgical booties. While raising their son, Melania was renowned for keeping a low-key routine.
She used to reside at Union Square’s Zeckendorf Towers, where she mostly avoided the spotlight except when she was with her husband and kid. Motherhood has always been Melania’s top priority.
In 2024, as her son Barron prepared to graduate from Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach, a source close to the family shared that she remained actively involved in guiding his future. The source said, “Melania will keep her hand on Barron’s future just as much going forward as she has throughout his early and current school years.”
Barron’s graduation ceremony was scheduled for May 17, 2024. At the time, Melania was described as fully focused on his transition into adulthood. “He is her world,” the source said. “She is proud of him, and she is the primary decision maker on Barron and his future.”
The source also noted that while Barron was forming his own opinions, Melania continued to offer steady guidance. According to the source, “She wants him to be happy and settled in his future endeavors. She wants him to pursue what he wants to do.”
Throughout her time in the spotlight, she consistently paid attention to family matters, demonstrating a clear priority in her private life. Amalija, Melania’s mother, died in January 2024 at the age of 78. Melania used social media to share the news.
A funeral service was held at a church near the family’s Mar-a-Lago estate. During her eulogy, Melania described her mother as “a ray of light in the darkest of days.” She spoke about the peace she found in her mother’s presence and shared memories of family travels and conversations that “flowed effortlessly with grace and charm.”
Developing patterns in a Slovenian children’s clothes business, Amalija had met Melania’s father, Viktor, in 1966 while he was a driver.
Melania’s early modelling images have reappeared on social media in recent months, garnering a lot of attention. Several people contributed montages and movies showcasing her early career, including the photos from her adolescent years in Slovenia.
The reactions were immediate. One user wrote, “Young Melania Trump WAS SOMETHING ELSE.” Another commented, “She looked pretty back then and still pretty even now.” Others remarked on the consistency in her appearance over the years, with one user stating, “She has not changed.”
One post featuring a compilation of her early photos received responses such as, “Oh how I enjoyed watching that I have never seen this before. Thank you for posting it.!! [sic]” followed by heart emojis.
Her metamorphosis crosses occupations, continents, and decades. Every step has been recorded, whether through early black-and-white pictures or internet videos that went viral. Despite differing views, one thing is certain: Melania’s changing persona continues to garner interest.
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