Camilla Jessen
The unbreakable bond that shaped Melania Trump.
Melania Trump is a global figure, a former model, First Lady, and the wife of one of the most polarizing U.S. presidents.
But behind the carefully curated public image stands someone she trusts completely: her older sister, Ines Knauss.
Far removed from the spotlight, Ines has been a constant source of support and perhaps Melania’s closest confidante.
Small-Town Slovenia Beginnings
Melania and Ines were born in the former Yugoslavia, now Slovenia, in the town of Novo Mesto and raised in nearby Sevnica.
Their father worked as a chauffeur and car mechanic; their mother was a pattern-maker who introduced them to fashion early on by sewing clothes for the girls.
Melania once described their home life as full of love and strong values. “My mother and father taught us the importance of education, hard work, and family,” she said.
Fashion Dreams Take Shape
While Melania’s modeling career took off after she was discovered at age 16, Ines took a different path, studying art and design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana.
But she also helped shape Melania’s trajectory.
It was Ines who encouraged her younger sister to enter a modeling competition that led to her first international contract.
Polite and Mellow
As Melania rose in the modeling world, Ines supported her quietly, trying to find her place in fashion as a designer.
“She was really polite and mellow,” said one photographer who met Ines in Paris.
“Not like the other girls who acted like queens.”
Milan to Manhattan
When Melania received help from Italian businessman Paolo Zampolli to get a U.S. work visa, Ines came along for the journey.
Both sisters moved to New York, where Melania’s modeling career continued to rise.
At a Fashion Week party in 1998, Melania was introduced to Donald Trump. Despite his celebrity, she refused to give him her number.
“He was on a date,” she said later, as cited by Newsner. “So I didn’t.”
A Quiet Presence at Life’s Biggest Moments
Ines might not seek publicity, but she’s been by Melania’s side through major life changes.
When Melania married Trump in 2005, Ines stood beside her as maid of honor.
According to reports, she lives just four blocks from Melania’s Trump Tower penthouse in a Trump-owned building that once housed Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Despite rarely being seen publicly, Ines is always nearby.
A Creative Soul
Friends describe her as artistic and kind.
Melania has even shared some of her sister’s artwork online, suggesting that Ines works quietly as an illustrator.
“She’s extremely creative,” said Palm Beach philanthropist Audrey Gruss after meeting Ines at a charity event.
Sister First, Even Through Motherhood
When Melania gave birth to her son Barron, she didn’t rely solely on professional help.
“Melania had all the professional help she needed,” recalled fashion designer Luisa Beccaria, “but it was her sister she trusted.”
