Adut Akech arrived at the Met Gala on Monday with a plus one.
The model, who is full-term with her second child, made it to fashion’s biggest night just ahead of her due date.
“As long as I get to the Met, this baby can decide to come anytime after that,” she told Vogue days before the event.
“It was important that if I was going to go do this at such a late stage in my pregnancy, I would love for this to be a stress-free experience, because I have so many moving parts in my personal life right now,” Akech said. “Everything’s been so seamless.”
Thom Browne designed her look for the night.
“My look is inspired by birth and new beginnings,” Akech said on the carpet.
She wore a sheer black gown with a high neckline and long sleeves, finished with layered appliqué and sequin detailing. The silhouette drew focus to her bump, which was outlined with soft pink floral accents across the front.
“I’ve seen Thom in passing, but we’ve never gotten to sit down and have a conversation or work closely with each other like this,” she said of working with Browne. “So I’m excited to just be in the same space with him.”
The designer also spoke about the collaboration.
“I wanted to create something that felt true to both myself and Adut, and worked for someone experiencing one of life’s great miracles,” he said. “It was important that the design gave nods to this moment in her life and really celebrated her strength and beauty. Adut really understands what I do, and it made it that much easier to adapt this throughout the process.”
Akech and her partner, Samuel Elkhier, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Kiki, also known as Imani, in December 2024.
