Carla Bruni-Sarkozy
Her marriage to Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007 catapulted Bruni into the political spotlight. As a former supermodel who walked the ramp for international designers like Christian Dior, Chanel and Versace, Bruni’s style is both elegant and sophisticated. Philippe Wojazer / Reuters

Carla Bruni Sarkozy - the super model wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy - is once again in the middle of a controversy. This time it is not her glamorous looks or alleged affairs but a proposed bronze statue of her that has caused an outrage in a Paris suburb.

According to a Guardian report, the glamorous and controversial first lady of France is being immortalized in a 6-foot bronze statue, thanks to a local mayor belonging to Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party.

The local mayor of Nogent-sur-Marne told a French TV channel that the statue was a tribute to a large Italian community of women feather factory workers in the suburb.

The issue has evoked strong public response as more than half of the expenditure for the statue project costing 80,000 euros is sourced from the public funds while rest is being sponsored by a property company, according to the report.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy's spokesperson denied promoting any kind of personality cult and said the first lady being a super model received numerous applications for using her image in artistic expressions, which is quite normal.

The statue by sculptor Elisabeth Cibot is expected to be unveiled by May.

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