It's safe to say that Melania Trump now leads a lavish life.
But was she always loaded?
From her hard-working Eastern European roots to her success in the modeling world, she
actually did just fine as a bachelorette.
Here's how much Melania was worth before she married Donald Trump.
Born Melania Knavs in what is now Slovenia, Melania was raised under Communist rule.
Her father, Viktor, was a salesman at a state-owned car company, while Melania’s mother, Amalija,
developed children’s clothing patterns at a factory.
In GQ, Melania said of her parents:
"They're both hard-working.
They're both very smart and very capable.
They grew up in totally different environments, but they have the same values, they have the
same tradition."
It was clear from an early age that Melania was determined to lead a prosperous life.
A former high school classmates told The New York Times:
"She tried to find opportunities, and took them."
Melania may have have had a leg up, her father was allegedly a part of the Communist party.
Being a member had benefits.
And only a tiny percentage of Slovenians belonged.
Although she's been brushed off as a "vapid-model trophy wife" by the media, Melania had bigger
aspirations before deciding to pout in front of the camera.
Stane Jerko, the photographer who originally spotted Melania, said she initially wasn’t
interested in modelling.
He told GQ:
"School was the most important thing for her."
Melania studied architecture at Ljubljana University.
Professor Blaz Vogelnik told the Daily Beast:
"I can put my hand in the fire to prove that she was a very intelligent student with a
high IQ."
However, Melania never graduated and instead ditched her freshman year-end exam for a modeling
career.
Vogelnik mused that the timeline might not have been fast enough for the budding model.
"She must have realized that it would take her six to seven more years of studies before
she could start making good money as an architect.”
The average Slovenian architect makes the equivalent of $32,735 USD in 2020, so there's
no denying that Melania’s decision to leave academia would pay off, modeling ultimately
led her to Donald Trump.
Melania left Slovenia for Milan after her first year in college, and in 1996, she caught
the eye of wealthy Italian businessman Paolo Zampolli, who helped her travel to America
on a modeling contract and a work visa.
During a 2016 campaign speech in Pennsylvania, Melania said:
"I loved my work, and as a young entrepreneur, I wanted to follow my dream to a place where
freedom and opportunity were in abundance."
Although she never made it to the supermodel status of Naomi Campbell or Kate Moss, Melania
Trump had a successful modeling career.
After immigrating to America at 26 years old, Melania had to compete against younger models
for lucrative contracts.
Melania’s former roommate, photographer Matthew Atanian, told GQ:
"It's not a friendly industry to models of that age.
She aired frustration over the work issue...She was going to castings every day and not succeeding
every day.
She said things were very different in Europe, that she had been more successful."
Melania began auditioning for work that her underage competitors couldn't be hired for,
such as tobacco and alcohol ads.
Among her first big jobs was a Camel cigarettes billboard in Times Square.
As she gained notoriety for her relationship with Donald Trump, Melania’s star, and rate,
rose.
She appeared on the covers of Vogue and Vanity Fair, among other publications.
Melania also found success working with photographers such as Patrick Demarchelier, Helmut Newton,
and Ma io Testino.
According to documents obtained by the Associated Press in 2016, Melania was paid for 10 modeling
jobs in the United States - worth $20,056.
And all of that work occurred in the seven weeks before she had legal permission to work
in the US.
It's an ironic find, considering her husband's immigration policies, some of which severely
restrict the work opportunities of legal immigrants who attempt to pursue a career in the United
States.
Hollywood didn't come calling for Melania, who attempted to transition from billboards
to the big screen.
Her time as an actress was extremely short-lived: thanks to then-boyfriend Donald Trump, the
future FLOTUS nearly nabbed a spot in Sharknado 3, and made a brief cameo in Zoolander in
2001.
"Without Derek Zoolander, male modeling wouldn't be what it is today."
Melania also briefly worked as a fashion correspondent for EXTRA.
"I will have the stars and the styles here at fashion week."
Dating Donald Trump certainly came with its perks, and the story of how Melania Trump
got his attention is one that she tells with pride.
According to GQ, the couple met at a party thrown by Paolo Zampolli in September 1998.
Although Donald arrived with someone else, he was drawn to Melania.
When he asked for Melania’s number, she rejected him and insisted that Donald give
his number instead.
Melania said,
"I wanted to see what kind of number he would give me; business, home.
I'm not a girl doing business with him."
But Melania got more than Donald’s numbers, she also on the A-list.
The press was abuzz wondering who Donald Trump’s European girlfriend was, and Melania started
scoring bigger modeling deals.
An infamous British GQ piece from 2000 featured Melania posing naked on Trump's customized
Boeing 727, wearing handcuffs and diamonds, and holding a chrome pistol.
Although Donald Trump never shouted "You're hired" at Melania, a bunch of other companies
did, especially after she appeared on The Apprentice.
According to the New York Post, Melania was offered an endorsement deal with Levi’s
jeans after wearing a pair to a meeting on the television show.
Melania launched a line of jewelry in 2010 through QVC and, two years later, founded
an anti-aging skincare company.
According to the Associated Press, Melania made between $15,000 and $50,000 in 2016 from
these businesses.
That same year, Melania filed a libel lawsuit against the Daily Mail after the newspaper
published a piece claiming the future FLOTUS previously worked as an escort.
"Mrs. Trump's lawyers argue that those scandalous, unproven allegations hurt future endorsement
deals."
In 2017, the Daily Mail paid Melania $2.9 million, adding to her net worth.
After marrying Donald Trump in 2005, Melania is reportedly worth $50 million.
She now ties with Jackie Kennedy as the wealthiest first lady in American history.
Thankfully, Melania was successful before marrying Donald Trump, because he made sure
they signed a prenup.
The president told Larry King that prenups are:
"Prenups are very tough.
'Darling, I love you very much, we're going to live our lives together forever, by the
way sign this or we're not getting married.'"
If things do, in fact, go sour, Melania still has a $50 million net worth to fall back on,
mostly acquired from her modeling days, the now discontinued QVC jewelry line and various
commercials.
While nobody knows the details of the Trumps' marriage, we're guessing Melania would be
just fine if she was "fired" out of The Apprentice alum's life.
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