Heidi Klum Arrives as a Severed Hand at Her 25th Halloween Party

Leave it to Heidi Klum to celebrate 25 years of Halloween excellence by quite literally losing a hand over it. The supermodel and perennial Spooky Season champion debuted her most ambitious look yet at her signature New York City Halloween party on Saturday night, arriving as a shockingly realistic severed hand — and yes, it was every bit as gloriously gory as it sounds.

A Grand (and Gruesome) Entrance

Klum didn't just show up — she made an entrance. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the star pulled up in a truck plastered with red "danger" signs, then was carefully helped to the ground by actors dressed in yellow hazmat suits. Once unveiled, her costume was nothing short of extraordinary: a massive severed hand complete with a bloody wrist, bejeweled fingers sporting rings and a fresh manicure, and Klum's own face positioned right at the center of the palm. The whole creation was, in fact, a hyper-detailed recreation of her own hand — which makes it somehow even more impressive.

If you had a feeling this year's look was going to push the envelope, well, Klum had been teasing exactly that. She spent the day building suspense on Instagram, dropping cryptic clues and inviting followers to guess her transformation. If you were following along, you already had a head start — she even teased the 'very bloody' concept ahead of the reveal.

The Artistry Behind the Look

Klum's Halloween magic doesn't happen by accident. She collaborates each year with special effects makeup artist Mike Marino — an Emmy winner for his work on The Penguin — and this year Marino made it clear the stakes were higher than ever. He described the costume as one of the most complicated creations they've ever attempted together, citing the sheer technical difficulty of pulling off such an intricate build. The result speaks for itself.

For a deeper dive into how the full evening came together — including the star-studded guest list — check out our recap of Heidi Klum's Halloween Party 2026.

25 Years of Iconic Moments

This year's party marked the 25th anniversary of Klum's annual Halloween celebration, a milestone that has cemented her status as the undisputed Queen of Halloween. Over the years, she's transformed into Medusa, E.T., a peacock, Fiona from Shrek, Jessica Rabbit, and — perhaps most memorably — a worm. Each year, the bar somehow gets raised even higher.

The event was held at Cathédrale Restaurant at Moxy East Village and was presented by Apothic and Butterfinger. In a fun thematic tie-in, Klum partnered with Apothic Wines to create limited-edition "Type 'A' Blood Bag" collectibles — wine served in blood bag-style packaging that perfectly matched her severed hand aesthetic. Earlier this year, she'd teased to People that the costume was "very, very bloody" and would "go very well with red wine." Safe to say she delivered on both counts.

Flying Solo This Year

One notable absence on the red carpet: husband Tom Kaulitz, who has joined Klum in coordinating couples' costumes in recent years. Klum attended the milestone party solo this time around, though her look was more than enough to command every camera in the room.

Between her Halloween spectaculars and her busy professional calendar — she's been keeping fans equally entertained in other arenas, like stepping in as a judge on AGT during Simon Cowell's recovery — it's clear Klum knows how to make every moment count. The Queen of Halloween has spoken, and 25 years in, she's nowhere near done surprising us.