Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has been awarded €40, 000 in damages from Pardon, a fashion company who distributed shopping bags featuring her nude image. The photograph which adorns the totes was taken in 1993 when the French First Lady was a supermodel. The sum is short of the €125, 000 the French beauty was seeking, but still nothing to sneeze at.

The judge ruled that the tote bag "neither justifies nor even evokes the benefit of any authorization by Mme Carla Bruni for the use of her image in a promotional operation."

Ms Bruni-Sarkozy's lawyers have confirmed their client will donate the compensation to charity. Meanwhile Pardon are planning to appeal the court's decision.

"Forty thousand euros is a lot for a little bit of mischief," said the company's founder Peter Mertes.

It is a lot of cash, but it's also a pretty clear case of violating image ownership rights, isn't it? I wouldn't expect Pardon to be pardoned over this case!

[Source: Telegraph]
[Image Source: Remi Jouan/Wikipedia Commons]

Shopping Tote Bags on eBay

French model turned First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is suing fashion label Pardon for distributing tote bags featuring her naked image.

Ten thousand of the racy canvas shoppers were snapped up for the bargain price of three euros. They feature the nude image of the Carla next to a caption reading "My guy should have bought Pardon!"

"Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has exclusive and absolute rights over her image," said her lawyer. "We are going to ask for 125,000 euros in damages for the sale of this article which constitutes a moral and matrimonial attack."

If she wins, the philanthropic First Lady plans to donate the princely sum to charity.

Pardon is sticking by their use of the image, with founder Peter Mertes commenting that Carla is "a public woman - you find photos of her everywhere."

This isn't the first time the label has courted controversy. Last year it upset French church leaders by selling sexy underwear sporting an image of the Virgin Mary.

[Source: The Bag Lady]

Canvas Tote Bags on eBay

French first lady Carla Bruni has shown she's as socially conscious as she is stylish, lending her name to a new charity handbag. This casual purse is a far cry from the Christan Dior and Hermes bags we're used to seeing Ms Bruni with, but it makes a much more significant fashion statement.

The colorful Carla bag is made from hessian and cotton by a sewing cooperative in Khayelitsha, South Africa. The wife of Nicolas Sarkozy was presented with a bag just like it on a recent visit to the co-op. Carla was so moved by her experience in this poor community, she commissioned just 420 reproductions to help raise funds to build a new cooperative.

At €100 each these hessian handbags are not cheap, but this vital cause makes it worth laying your money down for one of these limited edition purses. Every bag is numbered from 2 to 421 to guarantee their authenticity. The Carla bags are available exclusively through Colette stores.

[Source: Black Book]

Charity Handbags on eBay

Marion Cotillard is rumored to be the new face of Christian Dior. The French actress, who won an Academy Award for playing Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose, is tipped to star in an advertising campaign for their iconic Lady Dior bag.

If the buzz is true, the stunning Parisian would be in excellent company. Exotic beauties Monica Bellucci, Diane Kruger, and France's First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy have all endorsed the historic handbag in the past.

Marion would be the perfect choice for the next Christian Dior commercials. She's strikingly beautiful, glamorous, and oh so French! Her classic looks would be the perfect complement for the elegant Lady Dior purse. This beautiful bag has maintained the same evergreen appearance since its 1995 release. Now that’s what I call timeless charm!

We shouldn't have to wait too long before the whispers are confirmed. The new Lady Dior campaign will be released later this year.

[Source: FabSugar]
[Image Source: Startinghere71/Flickr]

Christian Dior Lady Dior Handbags on eBay