Melania Trump may be known worldwide as the former First Lady of the United States and the wife of business mogul Donald Trump, but she has always kept her personal life private.

The same goes for her son, Barron, and especially her older sister, Ines Knauss — someone who remains largely out of the public eye despite being one of the closest people to Melania.

Raised in the small Slovenian town of Sevnica, Melania and Ines shared a strong childhood rooted in modest but loving surroundings.

Their father, Viktor, worked as a car mechanic and chauffeur, while their mother, Amalija, was a pattern-maker in a clothing factory. Despite humble beginnings, the family took trips to France, Italy, and Germany, and instilled strong values in their daughters.

“I grew up with a beautiful family and had a wonderful childhood,” Melania once said. “My mother and father taught us the importance of education, hard work, and family.”

A Shared Journey into Fashion

From a young age, both sisters were drawn to fashion. Amalija would spend hours designing and sewing stylish clothes for them, which Melania later began designing herself. “She was always very fancy,” recalled a local hospital manager who knew her from Slovenia.

At age 16, Melania was discovered by photographer Stane Jerko, who noticed her outside a fashion show. That chance encounter sparked her modeling career, eventually leading her to Milan and then to the United States.

Unlike many aspiring models, Melania kept a low profile. “She was a loner,” Jerko noted. “After a shoot or runway, she’d go home instead of partying.” Ines, aspiring to work in fashion design, accompanied her sister on this journey.