Heidi Klum shocks with her Halloween costume – and celebrates without Tom

Heidi Klum arrived at her annual Halloween party in New York dressed as a giant, severed version of her own left hand. The 53-year-old supermodel stood on the red carpet with her legs positioned inside the costume’s middle and ring fingers, which featured long, red-painted nails and gold rings. She spat fake blood onto the pavement before reporters, completing the gruesome illusion. Klum stated that she drew inspiration for the elaborate creation directly from her actual left hand. This marked the 25th year she has hosted the traditional celebration, a milestone she celebrated with one of her most detailed transformations to date. The event took place on Saturday evening at the Cathédrale restaurant in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan. According to local time reports, Klum arrived around 10:30 p.m. Her entrance was staged with cinematic flair; she was transported in the back of a small truck decorated with red hazard signs. Assistants wearing yellow protective suits covered in fake blood helped lower the massive prop from the vehicle onto the ground. Once outside, Klum extended her tongue toward the press, dripping with simulated blood, while visible bones and tendons hung from the wrist area of the costume. Klum explained to journalists that the concept originated from looking at her own hand and wondering how she could fit her body into such a shape. She noted that the design included specific personal details, such as a fresh manicure and a replica of her wedding band featuring a green stone. Additionally, the finger of the giant hand displayed a tattoo reading “Tom,” referencing her husband, Tom Kaulitz. Although Kaulitz was absent from the event this year, Klum remarked that a piece of him was present through the ink. She joked that the look would have made for an excellent partner costume had he been available. The absence of Kaulitz, who is 37 years old, was due to his musical commitments. He and his brother Bill announced weeks earlier on their podcast, “Kaulitz Hills,” that they would miss the party because of a concert tour. Specifically, the band Tokyo Hotel was scheduled to perform in Hamburg on Sunday. In previous years, Kaulitz has participated in coordinated costumes, appearing as an egg paired with Klum’s peacock outfit, an anglerfish with her worm costume, and a petrified warrior during her appearance as Medusa. Mike Marino, a special effects makeup artist, served as the creative force behind the hand costume. He described the project as one of the most complex costumes ever created. Klum revealed that constructing the prop required between ten and 20 individual hands to assemble correctly. The transformation process itself was lengthy, taking approximately five to six hours to complete. During this period, assistants applied bloody additions to her face and body. Klum admitted that comfort was sacrificed for the effect, noting that she wore a diaper underneath the suit because the size of the costume made using the restroom impossible for several hours. She strives to remain in these intricate outfits for as long as possible to allow guests to take commemorative photos. Prior to the reveal, fans speculated heavily about the nature of this year’s surprise. Klum posted hints on social media hours before the event, including images of objects resembling intestines and updates on her makeup application. These posts were linked to promotional partnerships, including a collaboration with a wine brand that resulted in drinks being served in blood bags at the party. The anticipation mirrors the buzz surrounding her past appearances, which have included roles as a thick anglerworm, the mythological figure Medusa, E.T. from Steven Spielberg’s science fiction film, a peacock, and a werewolf from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video. Klum has maintained her reputation as a central figure in Halloween celebrations for two decades. Her parties are known for their theatrical scale and the extreme lengths she goes to achieve visual impact. For this 25th anniversary edition, the focus remained on the sheer physicality of the costume. The combination of exposed skeletal structures, dangling sinews, and the intimate inclusion of her personal jewelry and tattoos created a unique blend of horror and self-portraiture. The event concluded with the usual mix of celebrity attendees and media coverage, cementing another entry in her extensive catalog of Halloween personas. The reaction among observers highlighted the level of craftsmanship involved. Reports noted that the realism of the wound at the wrist, which appeared to hang open with decaying flesh-like textures, contributed significantly to the shock value of the arrival. Despite the gore, the presentation retained elements of elegance, evidenced by the polished nails and fine jewelry integrated into the fleshy structure. Klum’s performance on the carpet, involving the deliberate spitting of blood and the extension of her tongue, added a dynamic element to the static prop. The night served as a culmination of her long-standing tradition of pushing the boundaries of costume design for the holiday season.