Renowned Ghanaian fashion icon Nana Akua Addo has responded to allegations by Paris-based fashion house Almée Couture that she stole the concept behind her viral cathedral-inspired outfit worn to the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA).
Nana Akua Addo became one of the standout celebrities at the 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards held on May 9, 2026, at Eko Hotels & Suites after appearing in a series of extravagant red-carpet looks.
However, it was her cathedral-inspired ensemble, reportedly modelled after the famous Cologne Cathedral, that quickly became the center of attention online.
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While many fashion enthusiasts praised her bold and artistic appearance, controversy erupted after Almée Couture publicly accused the actress of using a design concept the brand allegedly developed for her.
According to a statement released by the fashion house, Nana Akua Addo initially approached the brand to create her AMVCA look and shared her vision for the outfit. The brand claimed it invested significant time, creativity, and resources into developing the artistic direction, sketch, silhouette and structural details for the gown.
The designer alleged that although the collaboration was later cancelled and the deposit refunded due to creative differences, the final outfit showcased at the AMVCA closely resembled the concept they had developed.
Part of the statement read: “This project was originally developed with the client last year as part of a commissioned couture piece. The initial cathedral-inspired concept was shared with us by the client, and based on that direction, Almée Couture developed the final artistic vision, original sketch, silhouette, structural detailing, and couture interpretation for the design.”
The statement further added:“Following the cancellation of the project and refund of the deposit, we later discovered that the final gown was created elsewhere using the original sketch and design direction developed by Almée Couture, without acknowledgement of our creative contribution.”
Responding to the allegations, Nana Akua Addo denied claims that she stole the concept, insisting that the original idea belonged to her.
According to the actress, she approached Almée Couture with a clear vision for the outfit, but the brand was either unwilling or unable to execute the design as she expected, forcing her to seek another designer.
In a response shared online, she wrote: “I’ve seen so much misinformation about my recent AMVCA outfit (Cathedral). I reached out to @almee.lii for my outfit. I shared my idea with you and explained exactly how I wanted it.” She continued:
“You mentioned that you didn’t want to execute it the way I envisioned because of how detailed my ideas were. A refund was made, and I eventually got someone else to create it. So why and how is it now being claimed as yours? The entire concept and creative direction were my intellectual property.”
