Born December, 1968 in Torino, Italy, Carla Bruni is a natural born jetsetter. She moved to Paris when she was five, but spent much of her childhood at a boarding school in Switzerland. Upon finishing, she returned to study arts and architecture at the University of Paris. While at the University, her brother's girlfriend suggested she try modeling. When she was 19, she dropped out of school to sign with City Models in Paris.

That same year, Paul Marciano, President and Creative Director of GUESS?, Inc., saw her face among a huge pile of model cards and knew she had what it took to be a star. Carla appeared with Estelle Halliday in the 1987 GUESS? campaign shot by Wayne Maser in Paris. Later that year, she appeared in another GUESS? campaign shot by Maser in Spain. Carla had officially arrived!

Since then, Carla has appeared on countless magazine covers including American and foreign editions of Elle, Glamour, Max and L'Officiel and on the runways for major designers Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Chanel, Givenchy and John Galliano.

Carla has a sister named Valeria who is an actress and a brother named Virginio. When she's not modeling, she enjoys playing guitar and spending time with her Siamese cats Mitzy and Betty. One of her closet friends is fellow GUESS? model, Karen Mulder. Carla is also heiress to a Turin-based tire manufacturing fortune.