A photographer who worked with Melania recalled that Ines was polite and unassuming, quite different from the typical models. “She wanted to be in fashion but didn’t know how to break in,” he said.

The Move to America and Meeting Donald Trump

When Melania moved to New York with help from Italian businessman Paolo Zampolli, Ines went too. It was at a Kit Kat Club event during Fashion Week in 1998 that Melania met Donald Trump. He was with a date that night but was immediately taken by Melania. When he asked for her number, she refused.

“Melania said, ‘He’s here with a woman. I’m absolutely not giving him my number,’” a friend recalled. Melania confirmed this in an interview, saying, “If I give him my number, I’m just one of the women he calls. I said, ‘Give me yours and I’ll call you.’”

Ines: The Private Sister and Trusted Confidante

Ines has remained fiercely private despite her sister’s fame. She was Melania’s maid of honor at her wedding to Donald Trump and continues to live close to her sister in New York. Reports say Ines resides in a Trump-owned building on the Upper East Side, just blocks from Melania’s penthouse in Trump Tower.

Palm Beach philanthropist Audrey Gruss described Ines as “a lovely person, and extremely creative,” after meeting her at a Mar-a-Lago fundraiser in 2005. Melania has occasionally posted her sister’s artwork online, confirming her creative talents.

The Bond Between Sisters

Fashion designer Luisa Beccaria emphasized the strength of their relationship, saying the two are more like best friends. When Barron Trump was born, it wasn’t staff Melania turned to—it was Ines. “Melania had all the professional help she needed at that point,” Beccaria said, “but it was her sister she trusted.”

Though Melania may be a public figure on the world stage, her bond with Ines has remained steady and loyal, forged in childhood and carried into adulthood, far from the spotlight.