Leigh-Anne Pinnock debuts pregnant baby bump at London Fashion Week

Leigh-Anne Pinnock has made her London Fashion Week catwalk debut while visibly pregnant, challenging societal norms around maternity wear and concluding the showcase with a striking visual nod to breastfeeding. The Celebrity Traitors star stepped out on Monday, September 21, for designer Dimitra Petsa’s DI Petsa label, wearing a body-conscious creation that ended with a milk-like liquid pouring from her outfit. The high-profile appearance comes as political leaders in Northern Ireland engage in high-stakes negotiations with Westminster over devolved public financing, and central bankers weigh the economic fallout of curbing inflation.

Pinnock’s runway appearance marked a stark departure from how she approached dressing during her first pregnancy with her twin daughters. Reflecting on the experience, the Celebrity Traitors star admitted she had previously played it safe, whereas this time she wants to embrace her bump as an active part of her fashion identity. The showcase itself explored themes of motherhood, the changing female body, and the relationship between women and water. Founded by Greek designer Dimitra Petsa, the label is renowned for its sculptural wet-look aesthetic and has previously dressed high-profile figures such as Bella Hadid, FKA Twigs, Lizzo, Doja Cat, and SZA, alongside maternity designs worn by Gigi Hadid and Nicki Minaj.

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Surrounded by a group of mothers and babies for the grand finale, Pinnock praised the event for highlighting a stage of life that society often encourages women to conceal. The runway debut arrives just days before Pinnock returns to television screens in the BBC reality spin-off hosted by Claudia Winkleman, where famous faces compete in the Scottish Highlands. Viewers can catch the series premiere on BBC One and iPlayer on October 1.

While the fashion capital celebrated new life and design innovation, the intersection of regional governance and central Treasury control dominated political discussions in Westminster and Belfast. Stormont First Minister Michelle O’Neill defended the executive's ongoing refusal to set a budget halfway through the financial year, describing the struggle for enhanced funding as the "right fight". Joined at the Treasury by deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly and Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald, the leaders met with Chancellor Rachel Reeves to demand a fairer funding formula. Officials pushed back fiercely against any characterisation of their delegation as relying on a "begging bowl", with Ms Little Pengelly calling such descriptions offensive to citizens and businesses who contribute taxes just like anywhere else in the UK.

Debate in the Assembly chamber highlighted deep divisions over fiscal responsibility. Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole challenged the First Minister over approaching six months of operation without an agreed budget, urging her to rule out a scenario where the UK Government is forced to intervene. In response, Michelle O’Neill maintained that under Scotland's funding arrangements, Northern Ireland would possess an additional £3 billion for public services. Despite the Treasury previously providing a £3.3 billion package to stabilize regional finances, local ministers argue that legacy underfunding and fourteen years of austerity have brought public services to their knees.

Tensions also flared over the Labour government's decision to means-test the winter fuel allowance for pensioners. Stormont leaders vowed to continue pressing the UK administration to reverse the policy, warning of the strain placed on older residents. Meanwhile, central bankers outlined separate fiscal challenges on the global stage. Speaking in London, Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, cautioned that combating persistently high inflation through interest rate hikes would likely prove painful and necessitate pushing employment below target, contrasting with earlier remarks from Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh regarding labor market protection.

As negotiations continue across devolved and central authorities, further developments are expected ahead of the upcoming Budget.