Heidi Klum’s first Halloween costume was kind of a dud.
At her very first “Heidi Halloween” in 2000, the supermodel wore a black wig and a patent leather dirndl, a nod to her native Germany. She did her own hair and makeup. The overall effect was basic and, as Klum herself admitted on The Tonight Show in August, “boring.”
She hasn’t made that mistake again. In the 25 years since that first celebration, Klum has established herself as the must-see costume of Halloween night. As her party grew — drawing stars like Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Bella and Gigi Hadid over the years — so did her contact list for bringing her costumes to life. She was introduced to special effects makeup artists who helped take her playful costumes to an amplified level with elaborate prosthetics and pageantry. Last year’s E.T. tribute, for example, took a full year and 30 FX artists to create.
“Being the host, I have to be so outrageous … so people feel like, ‘OK, now I can really go for it too,’” Klum told Yahoo in 2022. “I just love the outcome and … the art side of it. So I always go through it, over and over again.”
Even during COVID, when Klum had to cancel her party in 2020 and 2021, she shared her costumes online. And her commitment to humor, horror and high art isn’t waning. This year, she’s teased that she’ll be “extra-ugly” and “super-scary.” As the supermodel explained on the Call Her Daddy podcast last year, she’d rather be creepy than cute, “because I get to be sexy in my job.” Ultimately, she added, “I just want a great reaction from people.”
In honor of Klum’s spooky season reign, we rank her most iconic looks — from the nostalgic to the nightmare-inducing.
Best pop culture play: E.T. (2024)
Klum and husband, musician Tom Kaulitz, went full extraterrestrial as his-and-hers aliens from the famed 1982 Steven Spielberg film. With top-tier prosthetics, Klum didn’t just channel E.T. — she outdid the original in every way, even if the costume was so heavy she thought her neck may snap. Now that’s dedication.
Klum and her husband, Tom Kaulitz, went as versions of E.T. in 2024. (Noam Galai/Getty Images for Heidi Klum Halloween)
Most va-va-voom: Jessica Rabbit (2015)
Klum turned up the glam — and the sex appeal — for this unforgettable cartoon transformation. Fans thought she was dressing up as Kim Kardashian when she teased the look, but it was the voluptuous vixen from 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit who turned up on Halloween night. She brought the animated bombshell to life with custom prosthetics — peep those exaggerated eyes — and a red, curve-hugging gown.
The model as the sex symbol Jessica Rabbit in 2015. (Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Heidi Klum)
Biggest “Wait, that’s Heidi?!” moment: Worm (2022)
Full-body prosthetics turned the mom of four into a giant, slimy, unrecognizable invertebrate. The costume took two years to craft — and 10 hours to put on. Klum said she felt claustrophobic and needed assistance as she slithered around the party. Underneath, the former Victoria’s Secret Angel wore a sheer and sequin bodysuit, starkly contrasting to the grotesque grub on top.
Kaulitz hooked his worm wife in 2022. Fun fact: She had a hard time standing up after this pose. (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)
Most anatomically correct: Skinless human body (2011)
It was an anatomical horror show of muscle and tissue when the model peeled back all the layers to be a realistic cadaver at her first of two parties that year. Making it a true show, she was wheeled into the party on a gurney, committed to the role from start to finish.
Klum flexed some muscle — and tissue — in 2011. (Chris Weeks/WireImage)
Most likely to give you nightmares: Gory alien (2019)
Klum has been an alien before — and definitely not as cute as She-E.T. In 2019, she was a science experiment gone wrong: a flesh-devouring interplanetary visitor — with guts, brains, bolts, scars and wires on display. She also upped the ante, having her silicone-based costume applied while in a store window as stunned onlookers watched.
Klum, with Kaulitz, looked ready to attack as an alien in 2019. (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)
Best look into the future: Old lady (2013)
Klum gave us a glimpse of her golden years — and she went all in. With a gray wig, liver spots, veins, heavy wrinkles and a saggy body, she transformed into a convincingly elderly (and still stunning) version of herself. Klum used a cane to hobble around, held a purse in the crook of her elbow, wore pearls and had discolored teeth.
Klum’s 2013 costume was a nod to commentary around her turning 40. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Heidi Klum)
Most creative concept: “Thriller” werewolf (2017)
Another time Klum leaned into nostalgia was when she morphed into a “Thriller”-era Michael Jackson. To become the mythical creature who gave ’80s kids nightmares, she was loaded with hairy prosthetics, a process that took all day. She could barely talk with that mouth, but could move — learning the famed dance like the King of Pop and performing it as she arrived. Making it even more of a howl, she had a crew of zombies backing her up — and, of course, yellow eyes.
Her 2017 look was a “thriller.” (Presley Ann/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Most meta: Heidi and her uncanny clones (2016)
Klum didn’t have to cover herself in silicone this year — it was her clones’ job! Five models were overhauled to look like the star, down to her chiseled cheekbones. They all wore bodysuits, fishnets and thigh-high boots — and had their hair styled like the original, with lots of fake eyelashes too.
It was Klum to the max in 2016. (Presley Ann/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Most technically impressive: Giant peacock (2023)
Klum conceived a “living” costume — her wings were Cirque du Soleil acrobats who transformed her into a peacock. It was one of her more comfortable looks (a stretchy velour unitard) and involved fewer prosthetics (the beak). That said, it still took 10 hours to get into costume, including painting her hands, and over 20 hours of rehearsals to perfect the routine.
She spread her wings in 2023. (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)
Best couple costume: Princess Fiona and Shrek (2018)
Not everyone can carry off being an adorable ogre, but she did just that when she went green to become Fiona, inspired by the 2001 movie. Wearing special effect enhancements galore — and that famed velvet green dress (no shoes) — she rolled up to the party in an onion-shaped carriage with partner Kaulitz, who was dressed as Fiona’s fictional beau. They even pushed a carriage filled with baby ogres for extra whimsy.
Klum, Kaulitz and their baby ogres in 2018. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
