It’s a first lady face-off

Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy share the fashion limelight in Strasbourg.

It was a hotly anticipated fashion moment: would Michelle Obama, easily able to shine among the British dowdies, be able to stand her sartorial ground against Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, former supermodel and wife of the French president? As it turns out, she was.

Accompanying their husbands for a summit to mark the 60th anniversary of Nato, the pair lunched at the city's Rohan Palace.

Fashion-wise, both first ladies stuck to the their designer darlings: Bruni-Sarkozy, who wowed the Brits in grey Dior during her visit to the UK, again opted for the John Galliano-designed brand, with a dove grey cropped sleeve coat and matching flats. Obama, who also favours flats due to her imposing height, again chose American designer Thakoon, wearing a black silk coat with a fuschia flower print. Both ladies favoured a demure below-the-knee length, and a pussycat bow feature at the neck.

While some have said Bruni looked "washed out" next to the more colourfully-attired Obama, if truth be told, both looked impeccable, and have surely set a new standard for first lady style around the globe.

See more Michelle Obama looks here

Picture: Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy arrive for the Nato summit in Strasbourg