How does Melania Trump amass her $70M fortune?

Melania Trump, wife of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Photo from Melania Trump's Twitter

Spanish newspaper Marca reports that Melania has built a successful career, particularly in the worlds of fashion and business. She started her modeling career at 16, and by 18, she had signed with a Milan agency, quickly making her way onto the runways of Paris and Milan.

Her career took a significant turn when she moved to New York City in 1996, where she continued to model and became a familiar face on the covers of prestigious magazines like Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Glamour. These endeavors laid the foundation for her financial success.

Melania’s business acumen became evident in 2010 when she launched her own jewelry line Melania Timepieces and Jewelry, sold through QVC, an American television network and flagship shopping channel specializing in televised home shopping. It is estimated that she has earned over US$45 million from this venture alone over the past decade, including more than US$7 million in the past year.

Melania has also ventured into the literary world with the release of her eponymous memoir earlier this year, which debuted at the top of the New York Times hardcover nonfiction best-seller list.

She also owns a one-bedroom, 1.5-bath apartment in Trump Tower, located in New York City’s Manhattan neighborhood, according to Business Insider. She reportedly purchased the unit from the building’s condo board for nearly US$1.5 million in January 2016. The property covers 1,052 square feet (97.7 square meters) and offers views of Fifth Avenue and East 56th Street.

Melania, 54, was born Melania Knavs in Slovenia. She is the first naturalized citizen to become First Lady of the U.S.

According to The New York Times, she met Donald, 78, in 1998. The couple married in 2005, marking Donald’s third marriage and Melania’s first. They share a son, Barron Trump, who is Donald’s fifth and youngest child.