Carla Bruni's photo sessions are a separate form of art

Biography

Carla Bruni was born in northern Italy, 20 kilometers from Turin (Torino) on December 23, 1967.

Family

The girl's mother, Marisa Bruni Tedeschi Borini, not only loved music, she lived it, playing the piano excellently. Father Alberto Bruni Tedeschi, an avant-garde opera composer, headed the Teatro Regio in Turin. He waited five years for the opportunity to marry a girl.

Alberto’s parents owned a company that produced tires and electrical equipment for SEAT, were wealthy people and did not want to see a poor native of Piedmont as their daughter-in-law, even despite her aristocratic pedigree. The grandfather of the future model, Virginio Tedeschi, was born Jewish, but converted to Catholicism in order to get permission to marry a girl from the Bruni family. They loved their son madly, giving him the education of a musician, lawyer and engineer.

But Marisa waited for her happiness and the newlyweds got married. Their home was the 40-room Castagneto Po castle, where their first-born Virginio, who became an artist, was born in 1959 and died of AIDS in 2006. In 1964, daughter Valeria was born, who later became an actress and film director. Carla is the couple's youngest daughter.

Childhood

The mother gave all her parental love to one child - Virginio. She was rarely at home, spending a lot of time on tour and in the arms of lovers, with whom she was not particularly shy. One of them, 19-year-old guitarist Maurizio Remmert, as it turned out later, is Carla's biological father. He was not embarrassed by the fact that Marisa was 15 years older, and the musician did not want to know his daughter at all.

In 1975, he moved to Brazil, away from the scandal, and recognized paternity only in 2008. Carla learned about Maurizio at the age of 28, after the death of her official father, Alberto.

A beautiful and spectacular woman entrusted the upbringing of her children to nanny Teresa, she came for the whole day, and in the evening she put them to bed and went to her place. Until the age of 6, Karla was afraid to sleep alone and spent the night with her nanny while her secular parents paid tribute to art.

The most precious thing the baby had at that time was the love of a stranger and the notes of Mozart on her mother’s piano.

In the early 70s. father buys an estate with a large beach in France, in Cavalière on Cap Nègre. In 1974, the family decided to move to Paris. In Italy, the gangster group “Red Brigades” is in full swing, earning its living by kidnapping children from wealthy families. Alberto and Marisa, fearing for the life and health of their unattended heirs, take them away from potential danger. Nanny Teresa does not agree to the move, but she always remembers her pupils with tenderness and sadness. So Carla is left without the care of her closest person.

Studies

For education, her parents send little Carla Bruni to an elite Swiss boarding school. There the girl studies guitar and piano. She found it boring to study, so she failed to graduate from school with honors. As a teenager, she begins to write poems and songs, but for 10 years she does not dare to present them to the public. The first person to see Carla's work was the guitarist of the Telephone group, Louis Bertignac.

At the same time, the girl is trying to start a career in the modeling world. Her ideal figure perfectly compensates for the imperfections of her face. At the age of 16, Karla posed for free for the photographer Thierry Le Gouès, with whom fate would bring her together many more times.

After school, the girl enters the University of Paris Sorbonne (la Sorbonne) at the Faculty of History of Art and Architecture. Full of ambition and desire to become a celebrity, young Carla goes to the nearest modeling agency, which turns out to be City Models, in the hope of getting a job. There they assessed the girl’s perfect qualities and offered her to sign a contract. Soon, Karla was so captivated by her new job that she quit university, had plastic surgery to correct the shape of her nose, and completely went into the world of fashion.

At the age of 29, the successful model gracefully ends her career on the catwalk to return to her favorite pastime, music.

Sarkozy's wife made a name for herself as a model

The wife of the 28th President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, is perhaps the most scandalous person in the modern political world. With her appearance as the lady of the first person of the state, rumors spread in world society that it was she who broke up the happy Sarkozy family, and the president himself began to be accused of frivolity and frivolity, although there were those who sincerely supported this union.

Carla Bruni

Carla Bruni was born in 1967 in Italy. Her parents were pianist Marisa Borini and opera composer and part-time owner of a tire company, Alberto Bruni Tadeski. The family was quite rich, and when the terrorist group “Red Brigade” began to operate in the country, kidnapping children, the parents were forced to leave for France.

Carla Bruni

Over time, Karla went to study at a Swiss school, where she mastered a course in playing piano and guitar. The girl was always distinguished by her beauty and stature, so she decided to try herself as a model. After graduating from boarding school, Karla entered the history department at the Sorbonne, but did not study there for long and took up a professional career as a model.

Carla Bruni photo

Already at the age of 19, she worked with the country's leading fashion designers, was one of the twenty most sought-after models in the world, and posed for many magazines, including nude. So she worked for 10 years and decided to leave the podium. Having made a name for herself, Carla Bruni did not go into the shadows, but tried herself as a singer. In 2003, she released her first album, Somebody Told Me, which consisted of 11 songs, 8 of which Carla wrote herself. The newly minted singer immediately found success, and in 2007 she already dared to release the English-language album “No Promises”. Music critics positively assessed the work of the future first lady of the country, noting the special lyricism of her songs.

Model career

In 1988, the agency invited the new model to take part in an advertising campaign for Guess. The shows of the famous fashion house were a resounding success and Karla became a world celebrity overnight. She was offered expensive contracts by many fashion houses in France and Italy.

Carla Bruni's photos appeared on the covers of Spanish, English and Italian Voque, Italian Elle, Marie Claige, Hagregs & Queen and other glossy magazines with large circulations. Moreover, photos of naked Carla Bruni could also sometimes be found in fashion magazines.

Over the 10 years of her modeling career, the girl has worked with such fashion houses as Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Chanel Cosmetics, D&G, Givenchy, Givenchy, Dior, and MaxMara. She becomes one of the most expensive models in the world, earning seven and a half million dollars for shows.

Stylists, photographers and make-up artists loved working with Carla. She led a healthy lifestyle, swam and ran three kilometers every day, and followed a diet. The girl strictly ensured that her weight always remained at around 55 kilograms with a height of 175 centimeters.

While applying makeup, she read Dostoevsky, while flying from show to show, Karla took out self-instruction books and learned foreign languages.

She could buy many outfits from designer collections, but she always dressed modestly and discreetly. From an early age, the girl trained her facial expressions, since wrinkles scared her, and long hours of photo sessions required immobility and endurance. Christian Lacroix and Jean-Paul Gaultier considered her one of the best models, while Carla was free to offer her services to world-famous designers.

In 1997, the model announced her retirement from the world of high fashion. Carla decides to pursue a solo career as a singer.

Biography of Carla Bruni

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy was born in emotional Italy, in the city of Turin on December 23, 1967. They say about people like Karla that they were born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Relations in the family were very warm and friendly, even despite the fact that her father was not her own. After a terrorist group appeared in Italy and kidnapped children, the family moved to France. There, young Carla Bruni Sarkozy studied at the Sorbonne, but soon left the famous university for a modeling career. In the modeling field, the girl achieved stunning success.

Ideal proportions made it mega-popular and desirable for all self-respecting brands. Everyone dreamed of working with an Italian, because it was an indicator of the company’s success.

Carla knew her worth, so she became the face of such world-famous brands as Prada, Dolce&Gabbana, Givenchy, Cesare Paciotti, Christian Dior, Chanel, MaxMara. During the period 1994-1995, young Bruni earned approximately $7.5 million.

This amount made her the highest paid model. On the crest of fame at the age of 29, Carla Bruni left the modeling business and took up a career as a singer.

In her musical family, from early childhood, the girl was instilled with a craving for beauty. It's no surprise that her first album sold millions of copies. Many of the songs were written by the woman herself. She sings with an intimate hoarseness in her voice, harmonizing with her guitar.

Attention to a woman’s personal life and appearance has become extremely intense. And there was something to be surprised about.

Actress career

In 1988, Carla starred in episodic roles in the films: “High Fashion” (“Prêt-à-Porter”, 1994) directed by Robert Altman and “Paparazzi” (“Paparazzi”), directed by Alain Berberian. .

In 1995, she had another role in the film Catwalk directed by Richard Leacock.

In total, Bruni has 17 paintings. There is even a fantasy film “Midnight in Paris” (2011) directed by Woody Allen. But the singer’s career attracted Karla more than the actress’s career.

Singer career

Becoming a recognized musician in France is not easy. Karla understood this perfectly and went towards her goal all her life.

She not only played the guitar and composed songs “on the table”, the girl went to vocal lessons twice a week, met musicians, and carefully chose a recording studio.

Carla's favorite singer and composer was Julien Clerc, and at one of the social events, the former top model told him that she had been writing songs for a long time. Julien did not go into details and, in order to answer the girl at least something, advised her to contact her producer.

A few weeks later, Clerk is faxed a text by an unknown author entitled “If I Were Her” (“Si j'étais elle”). The composition turned out to be so elegant, light, fresh and full of feelings that the musician soon released an album under this name, which sold three hundred copies. Carla wrote six songs from the album for him.

In 2003, Carla Bruni's songs in French and English were recorded in her first debut album, "Someone Told Me" ("Quelqu'un m'a dit"). Eight of their eleven compositions are the work of Karla herself.

The album was a stunning success in France and its sales reached eight hundred thousand copies. Worldwide sales have surpassed 1 million copies. The album was produced by one of the singer's lovers, Louis Bertignac. Their romance developed over the course of a year, then faded away and the couple broke up. Carla's blues, rock and folk style of lyrical songs led her to victory in the category "Best Singer of the Year" at the Victoires de la musique competition.

The song “Raphael”, dedicated to the university philosopher and father of her son, Raphael Enthoven, gained fame as a hit even before the album was released. Carla's low voice, without much range, still managed to win the hearts of the French with its frankness.

In 2007, the second album “No Promises” was released in English.

In 2008, the third album “As if nothing had happened” (“Comme si de rien n’etait”) was recorded. Since the singer recorded her last album already bearing the name Carla Bruni Sarkozy, it was a huge success and sold five hundred thousand copies by the end of the year.

Carla Bruni: The Secret Life

The book by L'Express journalist Besma Lauri caused a lot of noise and immediately became a bestseller in France. A real scandal broke out: it was rumored that people from the Elysee Palace tried to buy out the entire edition before it arrived in stores. This book is a real journalistic investigation, with testimony from “eyewitnesses” and interrogations of “victims.” Among them were Bruni's former lovers, friends, classmates, designers, a plastic surgeon and even a nanny - about a hundred people in total...
1

I have a new lover

- Karin? This is Karla...

Paris, November 2007, 23 hours.

Actress Karin Sylla was reclining on the sofa in her apartment on Avenue Montaigne, watching TV. There was nothing strange about the call from her childhood friend, but something in Carla’s voice alarmed Karin.

- Guess who I'm dating?

- With whom? Tell…

- Nicolas... Sarkozy!

- What? No! Not him!

Without realizing it, Karin screamed into the phone. And this is her “Carlusha”, whom she knows like the back of her hand! About twenty years ago they conquered the podiums together. However, since then, the glory of one has eclipsed the other: Karin gained fame due to the fact that she gave birth to a daughter from Gerard Depardieu, and Carla’s entire personal life took place in the spotlight. And yet, the friends continued to keep in touch, each time discussing the details of their love victories and failures. So Karin’s friend has seen a lot of men. And Carla’s weakness for the stars, her hobbies, which became the property of gossip columns, were nothing new to her. Even Karine’s husband, actor Vincent Perez, managed to be in Carla’s arms. But Nicolas Sarkozy... Karine was ready for anything, but not for this. Among their friends, wealthy people of leftist views, this “trophy” had every chance of becoming a stain of shame.

-You've gone too far, Carla...

*

Proud of the effect produced, Carla quietly rejoiced. This means that, years later, she still has something to surprise her friends with. This time she encroached on the sacred. Never before had she even approached the head of state. Meeting such a powerful man as Nicolas Sarkozy is not the ultimate dream? In any case, this is the goal that Karla has been slowly moving towards for almost thirty years. Every step she took, like a fan of dirty splashes, settled on the pages of the tabloid press. Emeline[2], a former costume designer, will never forget the prophetic words that young Bruni uttered in 1987 during a show organized by stylists Marite and François Girbaut for Parisian clients. Carla was only seventeen, she was just starting her modeling career. According to Emeline’s recollections, she was a sweet, talkative girl, always on friendly terms with make-up artists and costume designers: “She sat among us, often right on the floor, in the center of a small group, and waited for her to be called. She kept looking into her pocket mirror and repeating: “Believe me, I will become famous!” We listened to her with a smile." The star then was the top model Amira Kazar, but this did not bother Karla at all. “For four days in a row,” says Emeline, “she kept repeating like crazy: “You’ll see what I’ll become!”

Karin Silla saw. And she wasn’t the only one amazed.

*

A few days later, on December 1, Carla surprised another childhood friend, this time an Italian. The two of them went shopping all day, and when they returned to the singer’s chic mansion in the 16th arrondissement of Paris[3], Bruni, throwing her things in the hallway, turned to her friend and cooed:

- I'm gonna take a shower. If my new lover comes, let him in, okay?

A quarter of an hour later the doorbell rang. Carla had not yet left the bathroom, and her friend ran to meet the guest. As soon as she opened the door, she froze, clenching the handle: on the threshold stood the President of France, straight as a bayonet, with a smile from ear to ear: he was clearly delighted with the amazement that was visible on the woman’s face.

*

All of Karla’s acquaintances, among whom the news spread with the speed of a camera click, perceived it with the same disbelief.

Is their “Carlusha” with the leader of the right? The one who wanted to introduce DNA tests for potential immigrants? They all - including Karla - were outraged and even signed a protest petition a few weeks ago.

Even the most tolerant of Bruni's wealthy friends had a hard time coming to terms with such news. This only made the tidbit seem sweeter: Nicola is a magnificent catch, and she will try to make sure everyone knows about them. With her natural talent as a director, honed to perfection, she excels at being the priestess of her own cult.

*

It must be said that the “catch”, without knowing it, helped her achieve her goal. By that time, the French already knew in the smallest detail about the president’s family life, about his affairs of the heart. During the election race, everyone admired his blond, angelic sons; on the day of his election, on the Place de la Concorde, everyone peered into Cecilia’s pale face; With bated breath, everyone watched the stakes of the first lady of France. Will he leave? Won't he leave? For many months, the Elysee Palace became the scene of a melodrama, and people were in bewilderment. Yes, the wife left their president, everyone knows this. But to suddenly exchange her for a singer with a weak voice?..

The latest drastic change in the personal life of the head of state instantly caused ridicule from even the most serious publications. Carla and Nicolas? Because she is she and he is he? But why not? It's love at first sight, they tell us. In the end, the heart has its own reasons, which even Sarkozy’s frantic mind is unable to resist. And we almost believed them.

2

Reluctant acquaintance

Apparently, this “passing of the marital baton” took only a few hours. We are talking about the famous dinner that Jacques Seguela[4] so colorfully described in his autobiographical novel[5]. According to him, it was that evening that marked the beginning of the idyll... In fact, this version is not entirely accurate. The dinner, held on November 14, 2007 - a real ballet - was, of course, staged by Jacques Seguela, but the libretto was written from start to finish by the hand of the former model.

The plot, I must admit, was already in the palm of my hand.

*

The President has been moping since Cecilia left. On October 15, the divorce was announced, and those around Nicolas Sarkozy were worried that he might fall into depression. On October 18, he was taken in the strictest confidence to the Val-de-Grâce hospital. According to the authors of the book, published in January 2008[6], the cause was just a harmless throat abscess. But those close to him knew that the president was morally exhausted. That's why, they said, hospitalization was necessary.

The next day, Nicolas Sarkozy was expected on an official visit to Morocco, and he urgently needed to regain his good spirits. In Marrakech, the head of state seemed pale, but behaved confidently in front of the cameras. And yet, the trip participants recall how, during breaks, the president wandered through the corridors of the royal palace, looking lost. Even Mohammed VI, having learned about the departure of the first lady, was imbued with sympathy. To cheer up the French guest and distract him from sad thoughts, the King of Morocco introduced him to the runner Hicham el Guerrouj, a two-time Olympic champion... and Sarkozy's idol. During the press conference, the president did not fail to present it to reporters like a trophy. “El Guerrouj is my hero!” he exclaimed, beaming like a child who has been given a mountain of candy.

*

When the head of state returned to France, his personal guard again entered into action. “Save Private Nicolas!” decided the presidential advisers, led by Pierre Sharon and Catherine Pegard. Now they began to organize dinners for him in the city, inviting famous artists to his table, such as Carole Bouquet, who was seen in his company at Thiu, one of the most fashionable restaurants in Paris. When Jacques Seguela, a former public relations specialist under François Mitterrand and now an adviser to Sarkozy, offered him that very dinner, the president happily agreed. On the menu: Julien Clerc and Carla Bruni. They once had an affair... And yet? “It is not customary for such people,” as Jacques Brel would say, to focus attention on such circumstances. And Karla treats her “exes” as family members. However, Julien Clerc had a performance that evening, so only Karl accepted the invitation.

*

There is another version, according to which the name of the beauty was suggested to Jacques Seguela. This hypothesis is confirmed by the words of Georges-Marc Benamou[7], at that time the Presidential Advisor for Culture and Media[8]. According to him, Sarkozy and Bruni could have met a few days before, or rather on November 23, when Denis Olivien (at that time the head of the large retail chain FNAC, and now the editor-in-chief of the Nouvelle Observer magazine) introduced the head of state Adopi report[9] on Internet piracy. Denis Olivien actually came accompanied by Carla Bruni - their friendship arose after an evening in honor of those who supported the magazine Les Enrocuptibles[10] .

Shortly before this, for example, they were seen at the wedding ceremony of member of the European Parliament Henri Weber and producer Fabienne Servan-Schreiber. This is how psychoanalyst Gerard Miller described this magnificent celebration for eight hundred people at the Paris Winter Circus: “If you are not invited there, then you simply do not exist for society.” Georges-Marc Benamou, who was also present at the Adopi report, states: “I think it was on that day that the president first noticed Karla.”

*

Be that as it may, in November, during a dinner organized by Jacques Seguela, Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni exchanged glances, not for the first time. The president, according to Benhamou, carefully studied the singer’s personal file before the meeting and ordered her CDs. And from this to the assumption that Nicolas Sarkozy himself suggested the name of the beauty to his friend - there is only one string... which the beautiful Italian touched with an elegant nail, without a shadow of falsehood.

That evening she had the foresight to wear ballet flats. Surely it would be unnecessary to remind you of the difference in height between the president and his guest? Having arrived before him, Bruni did not hide her impatience, feeling quite confident, because she was entering conquered territory. The rest of the guests are her good friends: philosopher Luc Ferry and his wife, Marie-Caroline, as well as interior designer Guillaume Cochin and his wife, TV presenter Peri. Luc Ferry never hid the fact that he was close to Carla Bruni[11]. This, however, did not prevent his wife from becoming the godmother of Aurelien, Carla's son from Raphael Enthoven. And the Cochin couple has always been known for their social receptions. In addition, Guillaume was the author of the interior design in Carla's mansion. So, all the elements came together, allowing her to shine in the sky. As for Nicolas Sarkozy, he, of course, had already encountered this nice company before, but never made a close acquaintance. Doesn't matter! He was ready to make a deal with the devil himself, just to get closer to the planet Bruni.

Further events are known to us from Segel’s book: the French attack (“You take me for Chirac!”); Italian lunge (“No, I see the difference”); sudden transition to “you”; an intricate pattern of ostentatious barbs (“And in relations with the press, you are still only an amateur. My affair with Mick [Jagger] remained a secret for eight years...”) and cute responses (“How did you date for eight years with a man who has such funny calves?"); electrical discharges in the air (“It feels like I’m on a blind date. But don’t get too cocky, your reputation can also scare you off”); decisive injections (“In songs you pretend to be callous, because you are gentle. (...) I know everything about you, because I am almost like you”); childish asides (“Sorry, I need to tell my neighbor something”); words in an undertone or even a whisper in your ear (“Karla, are you weak right now, in front of everyone, to kiss me on the lips?”); and then the president and the singer leave together, holding hands...

So in just a couple of hours a new love story is born, a remake of the story of John and Marilyn.

*

For John-Sarkozy, an affair with the magnificent, rich and famous Marilyn-Bruni became an opportunity to restore wounded pride, take revenge on his unfaithful wife and shut up all those who saw him as a deceived husband, a crushed and humiliated president.

Carla knew everything about the president's failure, but it didn't matter to her. Two years ago she was abandoned by Raphael Enthoven. The father of her only child left her for a young actress... She also knew the bitterness of parting, and now she, like him, wanted to flare up again and show what she was capable of. Nicolas Sarkozy, a spurned husband who, by all accounts, is still in love with his ex-wife, is a challenging, interesting task. She had to not only conquer him, but also outshine her rival, become better than her.

3

Karla and I are serious

In the Parisian media world, everyone was already aware. Rumors about the president's love were circulating on the sidelines of the editorial offices, but the matter did not go further than this - there was no evidence. The worried paparazzi were unlucky in one thing - their name was not Pascal Rostaing[1]. It was he, the most dangerous photographer in France, who knew “Carlissima” very well. It was him who the future first lady chose to publicize her idyll, this skillfully created production, of which her whole life will now become a part - both personal and public.

*

Pascal Rosten met Carla twenty-five years ago, when she was taking her first steps in the modeling business. At that time, she and her colleague Bruno Muron rented a studio for two in Montmartre. Bruni was only sixteen, and she fluttered around discos with her inseparable friends Rafa, Joana, Maria and Alexia. This little gang invariably ran to the Bus Palladium club, where they partied all night long.

Since then, the photographer and model have never lost sight of each other, never missing an opportunity to unite for common interests. After several unsuccessful attempts, photo reports about the love affairs of the beauty finally brought him profit. Photos of Carla and Arno Klarsfeld in Venice in 1995? It's his doing. In the early 1990s, he became the author of photographs of a fashion model with a member of the National Assembly. They were never published, and it is curious that Rosten did not even try to sell them - undoubtedly as a sign of their “old friendship”...

With one hand on his heart and swinging a Cuban cigar in the other, Rosten soulfully assured: “Not once in my life have I “hunted” for Carla! I will never betray her!” In the same way, he said, he never photographed the great football player in immodest company. And later he claimed that he was offered a considerable sum for a photo of the famous athlete and actress...

*

However, on the morning of December 15, 2007, the photographer found himself near the Parisian house of his protégé. “Completely by accident,” he assured. “This is the first time something like this has happened!” What about his Carlos and the President of France? “I didn’t know anything! Although I have heard rumors about it.” Some of his colleagues turned out to be much more straightforward: “Pascal was constantly on the phone, chatting with her. And he was delighted that everyone knew about it. Unlike us, Rosten did not have to sit in ambush for hours: “Carlita” always reported to him in advance about its most important movements.”

It is now clear why Rosten was already on duty that Saturday at 11 am. “Two police motorcycles, followed by two black cars, parked outside the house,” he recalled. — Carla, her mother and son Aurelien got out and got into one of the cars. I guessed it was Sarkozy’s car.” And the paparazzi went on a scooter to follow the presidential motorcade. “Unnoticed” (something his colleagues strongly doubt) he passed Porte de Bercy and the chase continued along the A4 motorway. “I lost track of them,” Rosten admitted, “but I realized they were going to Disneyland.” Of course, he got there before all his competitors and photographed Sarkozy and Bruni during their leisurely family walk.

And, although he was far from the only photographer in the park, it was his photograph of the newlywed couple that caused a sensation. “There were a lot of people there, but I still spotted them. Click-click - and it’s done,” he said, trying to assure us that it was only thanks to a happy accident that he managed to pull off this business...

The “secret” couple - Beauty and the President - stayed on vacation at Disneyland. And the next day, Christophe Barbiere[2], editor-in-chief of Express magazine, called his friend Carla on his mobile: “I have pictures of you and Nicolas at Disneyland... Do you confirm?” Of course, she confirmed. Moreover, with pleasure. On Monday, a photograph by Pascal Rosteing appeared in the Internet version of Express. On Wednesday, Point de Vu magazine, owned by the same publishing group, entered the picture. And a few days later, a photo of the French President and his “new fiancee” in a Hermès coat (an unusual outfit for a fan of informal brands) spread all over the world.

On the eve of her fortieth birthday, Carla Bruni hit a double jackpot: all the lenses of the world were focused on her person, and for this she did not even have to break up someone else’s family.

*

The French were amazed to discover that they had entrusted the leadership of the country to a flighty man. The hero of the divorce found himself... in the arms of a heartthrob, a millionaire and a socialite with a scandalous reputation. Is it possible that a lover of sensations will take the place of Aunt Yvonne[3] and become the first lady of France? The people were in doubt.

The same cannot be said about Sarkozy. The family of the future wife immediately accepted him as their own. We learned about this from Presidential Advisor Pierre Sharon[4], who was present at a memorable dinner at the Elysee Palace on Christmas Eve. The future son-in-law almost shed tears when Marisa, Carlita’s mother, sitting on the other side of the table, solemnly said: “Thank you, Nicolas! You have brought back to this family the joy that has been missing since my son died two years ago. From now on you are the head of the family." The inspired president vowed that he would be worthy of this honor. And, devouring the bride with his eyes for five minutes, he whispered to Sharon: “She is beautiful, smart, she has everything.” “Not like old Cecilia,” Sharon later added in a conversation with us, sitting in his office, the walls of which are decorated with photographs of the new owner.

*

A few days after that dinner, Carla and Nicola flew to Egypt. The president’s eldest son, Jean, went with them, although he was never delighted with his father’s previous wife, who was nicknamed “the witch” behind her back.

Upon her return, the singer’s finger sported an impressive pink diamond in the shape of a heart. Connoisseurs immediately identified the “Cupid” ring from the Dior jewelry house.

Evil tongues rejoiced: at one time, Nicolas Sarkozy gave Cecilia a ring from the same collection in honor of the family reunion. This is what she had on her hand on the day of her husband’s inauguration. And both of these models were created by none other than Victoire de Castellane, the sister of Matilda Agostinelli, a friend of... Cecilia. It's funny, isn't it?

The most insidious gossips recalled that Disneyland is one of the favorite vacation spots of the former first lady. You might think that the newly minted groom decided to address a strong message to his ex-wife.

Karla met such hints with a calm face. She even told some of her relatives that she herself suggested that Nicolas choose this particular ring. And yet, some acquaintances admit that it was not easy for the temperamental Italian to endure the insult. And what woman, deep down, would not be furious at such tactlessness?

*

Be that as it may, Bruni and Sarkozy’s “escape” to the East - to Egypt, and then to Jordan - turned out to be their first miscalculation. On the pages of magazines, puzzled French people saw six-year-old Aurelien, Carla's son, sitting on the shoulders of his future stepfather, whom he barely knows, and crowds of photographers around them. The boy covers his eyes with his palms in fear. The choice of place for the visit is also not accidental: it was here two years ago that journalists first spotted Cecilia’s connection with Richard Attias. A few weeks later, the information was confirmed thanks to photographs published in Paris Match magazine signed by... Pascal Rosteing. It's a small world!

Thus, this “Jordan stage” allowed Nicolas Sarkozy, in some way, to take revenge for his failure in marriage.

Immediately after returning to France, during a press conference in January 2008, he was finally able to firmly say, looking straight into the eyes of millions of television viewers: “Everything is serious with Carla.” Only the French do not yet know that the president proposed to Karla two weeks after they met.

What about Carla? For her, everything is also very serious, but in her own way. During the trip, she called her mother, friends - everyone she could - many times to make sure they didn’t miss anything: “Did you hear? Everyone talks only about us!”

4

If you come back, will I cancel everything?

“The wedding is scheduled for February 9, 2008,” journalists whisper, desperately tracking down the date of the ceremony. As a result, the wedding took place on February 2 and was kept in the strictest confidence. Carla did not even have time to warn Rafa, her close friend, who was with her on the day her son was born. Well. Love doesn't wait. In the bag. Or almost.

*

Before the holiday bells had time to ring, Héri Routier[5], then editor-in-chief of the Nouvelle Observer magazine, detonated a real bomb on the website of his weekly. We are talking about the notorious SMS: “If you come back, I will cancel everything.” Nicolas Sarkozy allegedly sent this request to Cecilia, his ex-wife, a week before the wedding. Did this really happen? The mystery remained unsolved, but the publication caused a real storm. Beside himself with anger, the president sued the magazine for “libel and false statements.” For the first time in the history of the French Republic. And then a handful of journalists got to see the true face of Carla Bruni - a combination of temptation and threat.

On February 21, Eri Routier was summoned to testify at the Commissariat of the XIII arrondissement of Paris. “It was some kind of madness,” he said[6]. — In addition to the Nouvelle Observer, David Martinon, the official representative of the Elysee Palace, who was my source, was also heard. Martinon denied calling me... but he was wrong. Telephone records proved that his conversation with the editor lasted more than fifteen minutes.” Pierre Sharon[7] admitted that “the people from the Elysee Palace staged a real tribunal. They marinated Martinon for several hours, they said that it was his idea, he should confess.” Unsuccessfully. Cecilia's former protégé and now Consul General in Los Angeles, David Martinon, denied everything.

Eri Routier continued the story: “In fact, this message was the president’s response to a text message from Cecilia, where she wrote: don’t get married, you’re doing something stupid. But who read Cecilia's testimony? Nobody. And mine were published in the press.” Nicolas Sarkozy was not interested in such trifles. Enraged, he personally called Claude Perdriel, head of the media group: “I will fight Nouvelle Observater!” The warning was taken seriously: memories were still fresh of how in 2005 the president promised to hang Dominique de Villepin “on a butcher’s hook” for spreading rumors that disgraced his wife.

Then the anger of the presidential couple fell on Jean Daniel, not only the founder of the magazine, but also the author of that very article. Nothing could stop Karla: she also complained to Alain Chouffant, a special correspondent for the Nouvelle Observer and her close friend. “This whole story makes me sick,” she whispered to him excitedly. Finally, Claude Perdriel hung out the white flag. A rather sophisticated refutation appeared on the pages of the Le Monde newspaper: “The Nouvelle Observater made a mistake because it was a personal SMS message, which, in my opinion, did not really exist. At least at that time." Journalist Eri Routier still had to be generous with a long message to Karla asking her to forgive him “for the suffering he caused.” But the surprises didn't end there...

*

The cheeky scribbler, who was forced to apologize to the offended lady, was on holiday with his family when suddenly his mobile phone rang. “Her voice was soft, but there was a threat in it,” Routier said. “At the very beginning, she purred: “I don’t know if I should talk about that letter you sent me...” You’d think I’d be stupid enough to believe she’d keep it a secret. What she really wanted was to show that she was on the same page with me, in the spirit of “This is a private conversation, so there is no need for anyone to know about it.” But I'm not such a simpleton! Then she added: “I know that you do not wish harm to Nicola and me. And your article was not directed against us. You have been besotted by this Ciganer[8] and her Moroccan[9], whatever his name is. Quite pathetic efforts on their part. They need it to exist in the media space. They are used to basking in the glory of Nicolas, and they want this to continue.” “This Ciganer”? “Her Moroccan”? Eri Routier was struck by such familiarity.

*

Other Nouvelle Observer journalists confirmed that the first lady called their colleagues, whom she considered her friends. Only this story was discussed in the press everywhere. On the France Inter TV channel, presenter Didier Porte, in the heat of the moment, sneered at “the future deputy. First Lady of France." In addition, Carla suddenly faced a serious obstacle: she herself did not know whether that notorious message had been sent. As a result, she had to close the sore subject without knowing the answer to the nagging question. It was Karla who decided to put an end to this murky story, publicly confirming that the apology of the management of the Nouvelle Observer fully satisfied her. The page is turned: the ridiculed woman has turned into a keeper of the world, who is able to calm her hot-tempered and vindictive husband. Now she will no longer leave this role.

On March 7, Cecilia ex-Sarkozy was questioned by the police and stated that she had never received such an SMS message. Denis Olivien, a friend of Carla Bruni, became general director of the Nouvelle Observer. Ari Routier left for Challenger, another magazine of the same media group. And since then, Carla no longer wears a diamond heart on her ring finger.

To be continued

[1] Conversation with the author, March 10, 2010, Paris.

[2] Conversation with the author, August 27, 2009, Paris.

[3] Aunt Yvonne, nickname of the wife of President Charles de Gaulle. ( Translator's note

).

[4] Conversation with the author, August 27, 2009, Paris.

[5] Conversation with the author, March 2, 2010, Paris

[6] Conversation with the author, April 27, 2010, Paris

[7] Conversation with the author, February 15, 2010, Paris

[8] Cecilia's maiden name. ( Translator's note

).

[9] Richard Attias. ( Translator's note

).

[1] She did not want to meet with us, because... Carla Bruni advised her not to do this.

[2] Conversation with the author, November 16, 2009, Paris.

[3] The 16th arrondissement is the largest and one of the most prestigious arrondissements of Paris, located on the right bank of the Seine River. ( Translator's note

).

[4] Conversation with the author, June 10, 2009, Suresne.

[5] Autobiographie non autorisée

, 2009, Plon.

[6] Cécilia, la face cachée de l'ex-première dame

, Denis Demonpion et Laurent Léger, 2008, Pygmalion.

[7] Conversation with the author, January 21, 2010, Paris.

[8] He held this post from May 18, 2007 to March 17, 2008.

[9] HADOPI - French government anti-piracy agency. ( Translator's note

).

[10] Les
Inrockuptibles
, a magazine about the cultural life of Paris.
( Translator's note
).

[11] See in particular Le Point

, June 5, 2008

Star lovers

From childhood, Carla’s mother inspired her daughter that one day she would be able to become the first lady and contributed in every possible way to this. As a child, the girl often spent summers with the future Prince of Monaco, Albert Grimaldi. The royal family had a villa in France next to the villa of the Bruni family. But the mother’s plans failed to come true.

Carla learned her mother's lessons well and preferred to date only rich and successful lovers.

One of them was the lead singer of the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger. From the age of 16, the girl dreamed of meeting him and after 4 years the dream began to come true. Carla began an affair with musician Eric Clapton, Mick's close friend, and through him she met the idol of her youth.

Jagger liked the girl, he decided to start an affair with her, not expecting that feelings would develop into something more than simple flirting. Their romance lasted 8 years, the musician even wanted to divorce his wife, American actress Jerry Hall, but his mistress did not need it. Jagger, although he was 25 years older than Carla, could not control himself. He endlessly called the girl at the agency, and one day he took a helicopter and flew to her from tour for one night.

• Mig Jagger wasn't Bruni's only passion. At the age of 25, she began dating French actor Vincent Pérez. But this intrigue did not last long; the girl soon became bored with the relationship.
• French singer-songwriter Jean-Jacques Goldman joined the list of Carla's lovers between his two marriages. Paparazzi took photos as the couple walked along the beach holding hands.
• The real President of the United States, multi-billionaire Donald Trump, did not go unnoticed by the passionate Italian. For Bruni, Trump left his beloved American actress Marla Maples.
• The relationship with the famous lawyer Arno Klarsfeld was widely discussed in the press at one time. Subsequently, Arnaud became a French adviser.
• The relationship with the French actor Charles Berling , who planned to record a joint album with Clara in 2008, is not entirely clear.
• In the early nineties, Bruni had a short relationship with the best guitarist in the world, Eric Clapton, but they were not particularly advertised.
• Another man who was captivated by Bruni was musician Florent Pagny . Carla became the reason for Pani's separation from his beloved Vanessa Paradis. But the romance did not bear fruit; the musician left for Argentina, where he found himself another wife.

Other famous lovers of Carla Bruni were: French politician Laurent Fabius, American actor and musician Kevin Costner, French film director and actor Guillaume Canet, French actor and film director Leos Carax, French actor Christopher Thompson, former education minister Luce Ferry.

Husbands and children

Despite the fact that the press gave Karla the nickname “Don Juan in a skirt,” the woman wanted to get married and have a child.

In 1999, she dated publisher, critic and writer Jean-Paul Enthoven, who was 19 years older than her. But the man had a son, Rafael (Raffaello), whom Bruni liked even more. Without hesitation, she takes him away from his legal wife Justine Lévy and they begin to live together. In 2001, Carla and Rafael (he turned out to be 10 years younger than his partner) had a son, Aurélien. The couple separates after 6 years.

In October 2007, Karla came to a diplomatic dinner with Jacques Séguéla, where French President Nicolas Sarkozy was also invited.

His wife had just left him, and Karla was able to captivate and interest the influential guest. Everyone who was at this dinner noticed that it was like lightning flashed between them.

From the first day they met to this day, the couple has been together. In 2008, they legalized their relationship at the Elysee Palace (Palais de l'Élysée). Carla still plays music and appears on magazine covers. She was able to survive the only ban - appearing on stage - for the sake of her beloved husband.

On October 19, 2011, Nicolas and Carla gave birth to a daughter, Julie.

Personal life of Carla Bruni

The personal life of Carla Bruni, like any famous person, also did not go unnoticed by the press and public. Moreover, it contains such names as Mick Jagger, Kevin Costner, Eric Clapton, and even Donald Trump

, construction magnate. And this is not a complete list of Carla’s connections; the names of famous French politicians, businessmen, and professors were also present in it. In 2003, Carla Bruni gave birth to a son, Orellan. His father, the aspiring philosopher Raphael Enthoven, is 10 years younger than Carla. She began an affair with him after she broke off her relationship with his father, writer Jean-Paul Enthoven.

It so happened that despite the birth of a son, the Bruni-Enthoven couple broke up in 2007. And by the end of that year, information began to appear in the press about the affair between Carla Bruni and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. By that time he had already divorced his second wife. In February 2008, a marriage was officially registered between them, which became the first in Carla’s life and the third for Nicolas Sarkozy.

The presence of a stamp in the passport and the status of the first lady of France did not change Carla Bruni’s lifestyle. She continues to pursue a solo and modeling career. Participates in advertising campaigns, appears on the covers of fashion publications, and releases albums. The only restriction in connection with the new status was for Karla’s refusal to perform concerts.

At the end of 2010, the father of the French President officially confirmed information about the pregnancy of the First Lady, and in November 2011, Carla Bruni gave birth to a daughter, Julia. This event is also significant because for the first time in the history of France, a child was born to the current president of the country.

Carla Bruni Sarkozy today

After Nicolas lost the second presidential election, Carla was not at all upset. She returned to what she loved and became the face of Bulgary, making music and giving concerts again.

She has settled down, is raising a daughter, and has established relationships with her husband’s ex-wives – Cecilia Attias and Marie Dominique.

Interesting Facts

• During her work as a model, Carla Bruni was the face of the covers of fashion glossy magazines 250 times.
• Donald Trump, the real President of America, is the only person with whom Carla Bruni officially denies a relationship, although he is considered one of the Italian’s former lovers.
• Having lived in France since childhood, Bruni remained an Italian citizen for a long time. She received French citizenship only in 2008.
• Bruni finally said goodbye to her old life, sold all the antiques of her late billionaire father Alberto, sold the castle for thirteen million pounds and created a medical research fund in her brother's name with this money. She disliked her home because there her father revealed to her the secret of her origin.
• In 2008, Carla herself visited her biological father in São Paulo, where she met him, his wife and two half-sisters.

• Nicolas Sarkozy tries to protect his wife from communicating with former lovers (Carla still has good relations with all of them), although he does not show his jealousy in public.
• In 2010, the Sarkozy couple visit the Taj Mahal mosque mausoleum in India , where a woman asks heaven for the birth of a son.
• For the meeting between Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Carla wore a blue jersey outfit, but did not wear a bra underneath. Medvedev did not succumb to the provocation, but this story was discussed for a long time in the press.

• Karla also dedicates songs to her husband, like many former lovers.

• During one of her meetings with Michelle Obama, Carla shared with her the details of her intimate life with her husband. Michelle was so shocked by Carla's words that she did not hold the dinner that Sarkozy's wife had hoped for, canceling it 2 hours before the scheduled start.