Melania Trump, born Melanija Knavs on April 26, 1970, in Novo Mesto, Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia), began her journey in a world far removed from the global spotlight she would one day inhabit. Raised in the small town of Sevnica, she was the daughter of a car dealer and a patternmaker at a children's clothing factory. Melania showed an early interest in fashion, and by her teenage years, she was already modeling.
Her career as a fashion model would eventually lead her far beyond the borders of Slovenia. In the mid-1990s, she moved to the United States, working with major fashion houses in Paris and Milan before settling in New York City. Her striking beauty and graceful demeanor made her a fixture in high society circles. In 2001, she became a permanent resident of the United States, and five years later, she achieved naturalized citizenship, marking a significant milestone in her personal and professional life.