Sarkozy ex-wife to marry, says Versace fashion house

MILAN (Reuters) - The ex-wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy will marry later this month in New York, the Italian fashion house Versace said on Wednesday, adding Cecilia will be wearing one of its dresses.

Versace's brief statement confirmed rumours she would get married soon to Richard Attias, after Sarkozy wed Italian model Carla Bruni on Feb. 2 in a private ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Cecilia first left Sarkozy for Attias, who works as an organiser of special events, in 2005.

"I met someone, I fell in love, I left," she told a French regional newspaper last year.

She returned to Sarkozy in January, 2006 but played no part in his presidential campaign in early 2007 and on Oct. 18, 2007, their separation was officially announced.

In January this year, Moroccan-born Attias denied a report in French daily Le Parisien that the two were set to marry.

Now, the couple "have chosen to wear Versace for the happy occasion of their wedding, which will take place in New York later this month," the statement from Versace said.

The design house, headed by platinum blonde Donatella Versace, is a favourite with Hollywood stars for red carpet gowns and has moved away from its up-front and glitzy style to a more elegant, restrained approach.

Model and actress Elizabeth Hurley chose Versace for her dress when she married Indian businessman Arun Nayar a year ago.