She found success, first in Slovenia and later—under the name Melania Knauss—in Milan and Paris. In 1996 she was brought to New York by Paolo Zampolli’s modeling agency. In the course of her career she appeared on the covers of several magazines, and in 2000 she modeled for Sports Illustrated ’s popular swimsuit edition.

During her teenage years, she enrolled at the Secondary School for Design and Photography in Ljubljana, pursuing industrial design to combine her passions for art, graphics, and fashion. She later became interested in architecture. Her professional modeling career took off unexpectedly in 1987 when photographer Stane Jerko discovered her.

According to The Palm Beach Post, part of USA TODAY Network, Melania Trump started modeling at a young age. She was only 16 when she started her career and eventually signed with an agency. She was able to work in Milan and Paris.

Melania Trump’s success as a model landed her at many fashion weeks with influential designers like Karl Lagerfeld. Melania began modeling at age 16, and two years later, she signed on with an agency in Milan. She enrolled at the University of Ljubljana but dropped out after one year to pursue her modeling career full-time.

Born in Slovenia, she moved to the US to pursue modeling and made history as the first naturalized citizen to become first lady. During her time in the White House, she focused on children's health and well-being with her Be Best initiative and sparked controversy with her fashion statements.

Melania Trump (born Melanija Knavs, April 26, 1970) is a Slovenian and American former model who served as the first lady of the United States from 2017 to 2021 as the wife of Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States.

After graduation, she attended the University of Ljubljana but dropped out to become a professional model. She worked in Milan and Paris before moving to New York City in 1996 to continue her career.

For Melania Trump, it was her Be Best initiative – which focused on opioid abuse, well-being and the online safety of children – that is likely to be her White House legacy.

Melania came to New York to work as a model. Through a quirk in immigration law, models, nearly half of them without high-school diplomas, are admitted on H-1B visas, as highly skilled workers, along with scientists and computer programmers, who are required to show proof of a college degree.