Melania Trump at 16: Her modelling photos from 38 years ago revealed

Long before Melania Trump met her future husband Donald, she worked as a model. There are still photos from the early days of her career in which some people can hardly recognize the now 54-year-old.

Melania Trump unrecognizable photos teenager memoir
© Jason Almond / Getty Images
Melania Trump unrecognizable photos teenager memoir
MELANIA'S TRANSFORMATION IN PHOTOS

Melania Trump looks like she shies away from the public eye today, but she has long had a job where many eyes have always been on her. Indeed, she worked as a model for many years. She began to gain a foothold in the industry at the tender age of 16. Early photos of Melania Trump show her in a phase of her life before Donald Trump became part of her life.

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Melania is discovered by chance by a photographer

Melania Trump is currently busy promoting her memoir. As a result, details from her private life are also coming to light that were not previously known—such as the fact that her husband wanted to have more children with his wife, but that she had finished planning her family with the birth of their son Barron.

The fuss surrounding the book has also led to old stories being recirculated and has perhaps reawakened a greater interest in the former First Lady in general. Here and there, modelling photos from the beginning of her career have resurfaced, some of which have been shared by Today.

According to publication, she was discovered at the time by photographer Stane Jerko, who says of their first encounter:

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.

Alleged ex-boyfriend claims she's changed

It is clear that the former model has certainly changed in recent years. An alleged ex-boyfriend, who spoke to a Slovenian blog in August 2024 even said he almost did not recognize Mrs.Trump when he ran into the former model a few years after their break-up. He said that they met briefly in 2000, and described the meeting as follows, according to the Daily Mail:

She sat a few feet away with her bodyguards, and it looked like she had some cosmetic work done. When we were together, she didn't have a big chest, now she has enormous boobs... It was obvious, she had some nice operations. Anyway, she is still very pretty.

That being said, the alleged relationship and his account of their brief meeting has been deemed false by Trump's spokesperson. She said:

This is yet another person trying to use Mrs Trump's name for publicity. The facts are not accurate.

There also appears to be no confirmation of any cosmetic surgery that Melania Trump has done. Moreover, this is not the first time Zoric has been accused of lying.

This article has been translated from Oh!MyMag DE.

Read more:

Donald and Melania Trump's love story: From how they met to their unusual first date

Melania Trump addresses nude photoshoot as she prepares to release her memoir: ‘We should honor our bodies’

Melania Trump shows support to Donald as she promotes new memoir: 'America is more divided today'

Sources used:

Today: See photos of Melania Trump modeling at age 16

Irish Star: Melania Trump 'could republish her nude photos' as photographer sums her up in four words

Daily Mail: 'When we were together she didn't have a big chest...now she has enormous boobs': Slovenian businessman accused of fraud claims to be Melania Trump's ex boyfriend, speaks about her global ambition and how her appearance has 'changed'

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