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Fewer knew about Melania Trump's background in one of Slovenia's most demanding fields of study: architecture. Melania, who has made headlines for some controversial transformations, studied architecture and design at the University of Ljubljana, a highly regarded and academically rigorous institution in Slovenia.
Those years left a mark. Long before her name was known around the world, she was cultivating a discipline that would later come to life in her own jewelry line.
“I studied architecture and design, and it’s always in me to design, to sketch, to bring ideas to life, and that’s what I did with my jewelry line,” she said in a 2012 interview with Jetset Magazine.
That passion materialized publicly in 2010 with the launch of Melania Timepieces & Fashion Jewelry, a collection that combined her eye for elegance with a sharp design sensibility. The line debuted on QVC and sold out in under 45 minutes, according to The Cut.
But this wasn’t just a vanity project. Melania approached it like a true designer and businesswoman. “It’s great fun. It’s very creative for me. I’m involved from A to Z for every piece that I design, so I’m very involved in everything that I do,” she told Palm Beach Daily News.
She took part in every detail, from ideation to execution. Melania drew inspiration from her homes in Palm Beach and New York, as well as from her own personal jewelry collection. The goal was to offer women something elegant, attainable, and expressive.
“I want women to look chic when they’re on the go. When they play with their children, when they are wives at home, everywhere, so something they can really afford and they spoil themselves with is what I wanted to create,” she explained.
She added, “They don’t need to ask anybody if they could buy it for themselves. They could go and buy something under $200 and have fun with the jewelry. So that’s why I created that, to reach women across the world and spoil them and make them look beautiful and chic.”
However, the venture eventually came to a close. By 2017, the manufacturer of her products, MZ Berger & Co. LLC, confirmed they had ended their relationship with her brand, Melania Marks Accessories LLC. “There is no longer a relationship,” an executive told McClatchy DC, noting the licensing contract had “expired.”
A White House spokesperson added at the time, “Melania Marks Accessories LLC is not currently doing any business, and the First Lady’s former jewelry line is no longer active. To be clear, the First Lady has no intention of using her position for profit and will not do so. It is not a possibility. Any statements to the contrary are being misinterpreted.”
Melania’s Memoir and the Prime Video Deal:
Although her jewelry business wound down, Melania’s story was far from over. She remained a subject of intrigue even after publishing her bestselling memoir, 'Melania,' and stepped further into the media spotlight with a documentary collaboration with Amazon.
The project is being directed by Brett Ratner and will stream exclusively on Prime Video. “We started the production in November, and we are shooting right now, so it’s a day-to-day life, what I’m doing, what kind of responsibilities I have,” she revealed in an interview on Fox & Friends.
“It’s day-to-day, from transition team to moving to the White House, packing, establishing my team, the First Lady office, moving into the White House, what it takes to make the residence your home, to hire the people that you need."
The documentary, described by Prime Video as “an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look at First Lady Melania Trump,” follows the Trumps’ second-term return to the White House. It’s said to expand on her memoir and delve deeper into her role and routine.
According to Puck News, the deal with Amazon was worth $40 million, and The Wall Street Journal reported that Melania’s share was more than 70% of that sum.