Former model Carla Bruni's figure is envied by women the world over - and it was brought into sharp focus by her choice of outfit for a state dinner last night.

The French First Lady wore a floor-length Roland Mouret gown which was so tight it revealed the exact outline of her slim body - and the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president greeting his Russian equivalent Dimitry Medvedev at the Elysee Palace, certainly looked a proud husband.

Glamour couple: French president Nicolas Sarkozy leads his wife Carla Bruni down the steps of the Elysee Palace in Paris to meet his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev and his wife to a state dinner

On a night when several guests struggled to keep their composure the Italian Bruni, 42, looked elegant and composed with her hair tied back and matching bracelets on each arm.

She played it safe in blue satin Christian Louboutin heels - for which the shorter Sarkozy would have been grateful - as other guests stumbled and tripped on their way into the Elysee Palace.

Chic and sheerful: Carla Bruni clearly found it more comfortable without a bra in her figure-hugging dress

Two weeks ago U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tripped as she climbed the steps to greet Sarkozy but happily he was able to prevent her falling.

And last night French singer Mylene Farmer came a cropper as she climbed the troublesome red carpet up the steps.

Charmed: Nicolas Sarkozy kisses Svetlana Medvedeva's hand while Carla Bruni and Dmitry Medvedev look on

Wearing a towering pair of heels, the singer appeared to lose her footing, falling spectacularly in front of solemn-looking guards outside the palace.

And the curse of the palace steps did not stop there.

Oops: French pop star Mylene Farmer trips on the steps as she arrives for the dinner

There she goes: Photographers capture the moment before Mylene's embarrassing tumble but she recovered neatly and strolled into the Elysee Palace with a smile

As Jean-Francois Cirelli, vice chairman and president of GDF Suez, arrived with his wife, she too tripped at the top of the steps, losing her shoe in the process.

Mr Cirelli reached out to catch his wife.

The guests were attending a state dinner in honour of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his wife Svetlana Medvedeva.

Second victim: The wife of business chief Jean-Francois Cirelli also lost her footing on the steps

The Russian President had been on a three-day state visit to France, which ended today.

During the course of his visit Mr Medvedev laid a wreath at the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe.

Another highlight of the visit was the ceremony opening the Russian exhibition Holy Rus at the Louvre that launched the two countries’ 2010 Crossover Year.

They're cursed: Hilliary Clinton lost her shoe on the same Elysee Palace steps last month but luckily Nicolas Sarkozy reached out to steady her