First lady face-off. Carla Bruni (right) allegedly dissed Samantha Cameron's style. Photo: Philippe Wojazer/AFP/Getty Images

Looks like French President Nicolas Sarkozy may not be the only one in the family threatened by others.

His former-supermodel wife/French First Lady, Carla Bruni, is said to have made "backhanded" and "catty" comments about budding style icon and new British First Lady Samantha Cameron, according to the Daily Mail.

After a recent meeting with the Converse-loving Cameron -- in which Bruni wore a gray Christian Dior shift and Christian Louboutin peep-toe heels, while pregnant Cameron wore a chic black and white maternity dress (left) -- Bruni reportedly took to her Website to shower her rival with praise.

Sort of.

"The companion of the new UK head of government is a kind of fashion icon: until now artistic director of the luxury paper company Smythson, Samantha Cameron combines stylishness with a feel for her time," Bruni wrote, calling Cameron "aristocratic but bohemian, practitioner of yoga and close to the ecological cause."

Bruni also reportedly brought up the matter of Cameron's dolphin tattoo.

"Retained from her youth... a maverick style for a woman who, when questioned about her husband, does not hesitate to speak not only of his good qualities but also of the minor failings of everyday life."

Um... thanks?

"These sound like rather barbed, backhanded compliments from Carla, who is well known for damning people with faint praise," a Paris-based fashion insider told the paper.

"It may well be that she's trying to spark a diplomatic row between London and Paris."

Swell. Let's hope that Bruni's comments were merely lost in translation and not as catty as implied.

Just lay off Michelle Obama, babe. We're not afraid to bring back Freedom Fries!

Meanwhile, check out Bruni's very own comic book.