Should you put everything on hold when you're expecting a baby? Katie Austin answered in her own way. Six months pregnant, the American model walked the runway at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show on May 30th in Miami Beach, proudly displaying her baby bump. An appearance that surprised some of the audience.
Walking the runway while pregnant? A choice she fully embraces.
For this event, held as part of Miami Swim Week at the W South Beach, Katie Austin walked the runway in a green beach outfit that highlighted her pregnancy. A veteran of the event—this was her sixth appearance in the famous American magazine's fashion show—Katie Austin confided that her decision surprised those around her. "Every time I announce it, people are surprised," she told People magazine. And she added confidently, "It's not going to slow me down."
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A pregnancy experienced with energy
Far from hindering her plans, this pregnancy seems to be galvanizing her. Katie Austin says she feels "a different energy" this year and sees the child she's expecting as an additional source of pride: "My little girl will be the most beautiful accessory I've ever worn on the catwalk," she confided. She does, however, admit to slowing down a bit at this stage, noting that her belly is growing, while still saying she's "in the best shape possible." She also admitted to having to practice her walk more, unsure how her growing belly would affect her posture.
A first maternity
This happy interlude comes a few months after the announcement of her first pregnancy. On March 15, Katie Austin revealed she was expecting a child with her husband, Lane Armstrong, whom she married in May 2024. To mark the occasion, she shared photos from a maternity shoot on the beach, with her partner tenderly cradling her belly. The daughter of Denise Austin, a fitness icon of the 1980s and 1990s, Katie Austin has been immersed in the world of sports and wellness since childhood—she even walked the runway alongside her mother in a previous edition.
By walking the runway while pregnant and confident, Katie Austin sends a positive message about pregnancy and self-confidence. Where some expected her to withdraw, she chose to continue doing what she loves, at her own pace.
