It's been billed as one of the major face-offs of the NATO summit, and it had nothing to do with troops in Afghanistan or relations with Russia.

No, it was the breathlessly anticipated moment yesterday when two of the most scrutinized women on the planet — Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy — finally met, in the grandeur of an 18th-century palace in France.

"Fashion Face-off," wrote Britain's Guardian newspaper of the meeting between Obama and the wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Others called it a "Style Summit" between "the First Ladies Who Lunch."

Each wore a stylish but proper coat with a bow at the neck — for Obama a black silk number flecked with fuschia flowers by Thakoon, one of her favorite designers, whose ivory tweed coat she wore to board Air Force One in Washington.

For the French first lady, it was a gray coat by Dior, also a favorite. Both women, there with their husbands, removed their coats inside to reveal coordinated dresses — Bruni-Sarkozy's in gray, and Obama's in fuschia. Obama wore kitten heels, and Bruni-Sarkozy wore flats, apparently to avoid towering over her husband.

MALAWI JUDGE REJECTS MADONNA ADOPTION

LILONGWE, Malawi — Wealthy, famous, fabulous at 50 — but not a mother of four.

Madonna lost a bid yesterday to adopt a second child from Malawi, rejected by a judge who refused to bend the country's strict residency rules even for a wealthy celebrity.

The decision came as a surprise, since Malawi's child welfare minister came out Thursday in support of the pop star's application to adopt 3-year-old Chifundo "Mercy" James.

Madonna was not in the courtroom for the ruling, but her lawyer filed notice that he will appeal.

EX-NANNY SUING DE NIRO FOR BACK PAY

NEW YORK — A nanny fired by Robert De Niro is suing the actor for more than $40,000 in overtime pay.

Alexis Barry says in court papers filed yesterday that she wasn't paid for more than 750 hours of overtime and 10 unused vacation days. She began working for De Niro and his wife, Grace Hightower, in August 2006, and says she was fired 10 months later, after saying she was going to quit. The couple's son is 11.

BRADY, BUNDCHEN DOING WEDDING OVER?

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Costa Rica's media report that football star Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen are in the country to celebrate a second wedding.

A TV network showed footage of the Brazilian supermodel and New England Patriots quarterback in the coastal towns of Malpais and Santa Teresa on Thursday. The two, reportedly married in the U.S. in February, were said to be accompanied by relatives and friends.

The area has become a popular destination for celebrities, including Mel Gibson, Gwyneth Paltrow and Matthew McConaughey.