France's First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy Sues Fashion House For Using Her Nude Photo In Its Bags

December 12, 2008 1:27 p.m. EST

Paris, France (CNS) - France's first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is suing a fashion company for using her 1993 nude photo in its shopping bag.

Clothes designer Pardon has produced 10,000 of the bags emblazoned with Mrs. Nicolas Sarkozy's photo, showing the former model nude with her hands covering her private part. The caption reads: "My guy should have bought Pardon!"

The bags are sold for 3 euros or approximately $3, or are given for free to customers who spend more than $6.50 in its stores.

The French President's wife said that the photo had been used "without her consent and to promotional and commercial ends."

Theirry Herzog speaks for Bruni-Sarkozy to the Telegraph saying, "We are going to ask for 125,000 euros [around $167,000] in damages for the sale of this article which constitutes a moral and matrimonial attack."

The fashion house's founder, Peter Mertes, reasons out that the picture was of a "public woman - you find photos of her everywhere."

If the first lady won the case, she intends to donate the amount to a charity.