Ghanaian actress and fashion stylist Nana Akua Addo has responded to allegations by Paris-based fashion brand ALmee Couture over the cathedral-inspired outfit she wore to the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards in Lagos.
The controversy followed the award ceremony held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Eko Hotel and Suites, where Nana appeared in a dramatic architectural gown inspired by the Cologne Cathedral in Germany.
After the event, ALmee Couture publicly accused the actress of using the fashion house’s creative work without acknowledgment.
In a statement shared on Instagram, the Paris-based brand said Nana initially approached the company with “an AI sketch” of the outfit she wanted for the AMVCA.
The brand stated that while the inspiration came from the Cologne Cathedral, ALmee Couture handled “the final artistic vision, original sketch, silhouette, structural detailing, couture direction, and overall execution of the design.”
According to the company, both parties had agreed that the fashion house would retain “full ownership and exclusive rights” to the developed design and sketches.
ALmee Couture also claimed Nana’s payment was refunded after the collaboration ended, but alleged that the actress later used the concept elsewhere without crediting the brand.
The fashion house described the situation as “blatant theft” and argued that Nana and the designer who eventually created the dress should have acknowledged the inspiration and creative contribution from ALmee Couture.
Reacting on Monday, May 11, 2026, Nana denied the allegations and shared screenshots of her conversations with the Paris designer.
According to the actress, the cathedral-inspired concept was originally her idea, which she presented to the fashion house through a mood board and reference materials before the project was abandoned.
She wrote: “The cathedral idea was mine from the beginning.”
Nana said ALmee Couture later opted out of the deal and refunded her money, after which she took the concept to another designer for execution.
Rejecting the theft allegations, she wrote: “I carry my Kaya go another place, headache don dey worry you?”
The dispute drew mixed reactions online.
Some social media users defended Nana and argued that inspiration taken from a public structure, such as a cathedral, could not belong exclusively to one designer.
An Instagram user identified as @tiwasfabricshub wrote: “Anyone else can draw inspo from it unless she built the Cathedral.”
Another user, @lahfume, commented: “The client brought her idea to you, you couldn’t execute, and then she moved to another creative who brought her idea to life.”
Others supported the Paris fashion house and argued that it still deserved public acknowledgment for helping shape the design before the collaboration collapsed.
One user, @hoaithanh.158, wrote: “They just need the last thing, which is respect for the brand team.”
Another commenter, @lady_tiana.a, questioned the conflicting claims surrounding the outfit, writing: “Abbas said he was inspired by the cathedral and came up with the design, and now you’re saying you’re the mind behind the idea, and another couture designer is claiming it. What should we believe now?”
The disagreement has become one of the most discussed fashion controversies from this year’s AMVCA ceremony.
