Melania Trump young: Photos show Donald’s stunning wife at height of modelling career
MELANIA TRUMP is the First Lady of the US, married to President Donald Trump. The stunning native Slovenian has had a long and fruitful career, and at the height of her success, the in-demand model was flown all over the world to appear on runways and on magazine covers.
Melania Trump, 48, is the stunning wife of US President Donald Trump - the couple has been married for 13 years, but first began dating way back in 1998.
But before she became Mrs Trump, Melania had a lucrative and successful modelling career.
When the couple met she had already made a name for herself in New York, being flown around the world to appear on magazine covers and in fashion shows.
Melania began her modelling career at the young age of five and started appearing in commercial work when she was just 16.
With the help of Slovenian fashion photographer Stane Jerko, Melania started taking her modelling seriously, signing up to an agency in Milan at the age of 18.
Talking to TODAY via email, Stane revealed: "It was January 1987 when I went home just before the end of the fashion show.
”On the stairs of the Festival Hall, I saw a girl that immediately caught my eye. There stood a tall, slender and attractive long-haired girl with distinct eyes."
In 1992, she was named runner-up in the Jana Magazine "Look of the Year" contest, held in Ljubljana, which promised its top three contestants an international modelling contract.
With that under her belt, she turned her attention to academics for a short while, studying at the University of Ljubljana for one year.
While at university she modelled for brands in Paris and Milan, where she was eventually spotted by Paolo Zampolli a modelling scout and friend of Donald Trump’s.
With the help of Paolo, Melania moved to New York, landing ten paid jobs in the US within weeks.
Just two years later she met her future husband, who was actually on a date with another woman when he first spotted Melania.
Speaking candidly about his wife, Donald said: “I saw Melania and I said, 'Who is that?
"She was a very successful model. She was terrific. I tried to get her number and she wouldn't give it to me."
After cementing her relationship with Donald, Melania continued modelling, appearing in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in 2000.
In 2004 the couple became engaged, marrying in Palm Beach Florida in 2005 at a lavish affair in Donald’s famous Mar-a-Lago estate.
In the same year, she acted in an Aflac advert in 2005, appearing in a strange clip where her voice was stolen and give to a duck.
Their star-studded wedding saw the likes of Heidi Klum, P. Diddy, Barbara Walters, Simon Cowell and even Hillary Clinton attend.
Shortly after the wedding in March 2006, when Melania was 35 and Donald was 59, she gave birth to her son Barron Trump.
Melania Trump: Five facts about the USA’s First Lady
Languages
Mum-of-one Melania can speak more languages than any other First Lady before her: English, French, German, Italian, Serbian and of course her mother tongue, Slovenian.
This also makes her the only First Lady whose first language is not English.
Religion
After Jacqueline Kennedy, Melania is the second First Lady who is a practising Catholic.
She met Pope Francis as part of a foreign tour with her husband and stepdaughter Ivanka last year.
Career
Melania was a successful model, posing for Sports Illustrated, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and GQ.
Her skills aren’t confined to print, and she appeared in a commercial for Aflac, an American insurance company, in 2005.
Family
Melania’s parents are Amalija Knavs and Viktor Knavs, and the couple live together in Washington.
She has one sister, Ines, who is reported to live in New York and work as an artist.
