A major fashion drama has erupted after Paris-based designer Almée Couture publicly accused someone of stealing their design for Ghanaian media personality Nana Akua Addo’s stunning cathedral-inspired gown worn at the 2026 AMVCA.
Almée Couture broke their silence in a detailed statement, claiming they originally developed the concept with Nana last year as a commissioned piece.
“This project was originally developed with the client last year… 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.”
The designer emphasised the amount of work that went into the piece:
“This piece required extensive creative development, countless hours of craftsmanship, and detailed handwork from our team.”
Nana Akua Addo responded swiftly, denying any theft and asserting ownership of the concept.
“I reached out to @almee.lii for my outfit. I shared my idea with you and explained exactly how I wanted it… The entire concept and creative direction were my intellectual property.”
She explained that Almée Couture declined to execute her exact vision, leading to a refund. Nana then hired another designer, Abbaswoman Ng, to bring her idea to life.
In a conversation screenshot shared by Nana, Almée had written:
“If it must be exactly the same as your reference, I’m sorry – we cannot take that risk… Depending only on an AI image without our unique touch would not make the gown truly special.”
The public back-and-forth has sparked heated debates in fashion circles about client-designer relationships and originality in fashion.