Heidi Klum Halloween Costume 2026: Why She Became a Giant Severed Hand, How It Was Made and Who Else Showed Up
Heidi Klum’s 2026 Halloween costume was a giant, bloody replica of her own severed left hand. The supermodel and TV host, 53, revealed it on Saturday, Oct. 31, at the 25th anniversary of her famous Halloween party in Manhattan, arriving with her face peeking out of the palm and a crew of helpers in blood-stained hazmat suits, according to AP News.
If you missed the reveal or just want the backstory, here is what the costume was, how her special effects team built it, who else showed up, and how it compares with her most famous looks.
What Was Heidi Klum’s Halloween Costume in 2026?
Klum dressed as a life-sized-plus version of her own hand, cut off at the wrist and covered in fake blood. AP reported that she was unrecognizable, with only her eyes and mouth showing, and that she stuck her tongue out for photographers with blood dripping from her mouth.
She called it her own chopped-off “left hand” on the red carpet, the BBC reported. Her explanation for the idea was simple: “I looked at my hand and I thought ‘Hey, I think that I can fit my body inside of this somehow.'” She added that she had never seen a person walking around as a hand and wanted to do something new.
The party itself was held at the Cathédrale restaurant in Manhattan, Vogue reported. Klum told the magazine the 25th edition felt especially exciting: “Twenty-five years of Halloween, costumes, incredible transformations, and so many amazing memories.”
How the Severed Hand Costume Was Made
As in past years, the costume came from Klum’s longtime special effects collaborator, Mike Marino, and his ProRenFX team. According to Vogue, the hand is not a generic prop but a copy of Klum’s real one.
Built from scans of her real hand
“[Mike] has all of these scans of my body, so he was able to use those to create an exact replica of my hand,” Klum told Vogue. The team aimed for realistic anatomy, including veins and muscles.
Her rings and tattoo are on it too
The personal details are what make it unmistakably hers. Klum said the team recreated her engagement ring, her wedding band and the small tattoo on her finger. “It’s not just any giant hand: It’s my giant hand!” she told Vogue.
It took a crowd to put it on
Getting into the hand was a group project. “It took a lot of hands putting this hand together,” Klum joked to reporters, estimating “about 10 or 20 hands,” per the BBC. She also told Vogue that the hardest engineering problem was making something large enough to have impact while still letting her move and walk around inside it.
The idea was a year in the making
Klum said she first pitched the concept about a year ago, before her 2025 party. Marino, she told Vogue, said he needed to finish her Medusa costume first. The idea stuck, and it became this year’s look.
Why Heidi Klum Chose a Hand
Klum’s goal every year is to surprise people. “Some of the most interesting ideas come from the most ordinary things,” she told Vogue. “I love the idea of taking something so common, and that we see every single day… and turning it into something larger than life.”
That fits the pattern of her recent costumes. Her 2022 worm went viral precisely because it was such an odd, unglamorous choice, and the hand follows the same logic: an everyday thing made big, weird and a little gross.
Heidi Klum’s Past Halloween Costumes
Klum’s party has turned into one of the most-watched celebrity Halloween events, and her costumes are the main reason. Looks that outlets including Variety, Vogue and the BBC have highlighted include:
- Medusa (2025): A snake headpiece and trailing tail, while her husband Tom Kaulitz went as a Greek soldier she had turned to stone. She told Variety it took 15 artists.
- A giant worm (2022): One of the party’s most viral moments, according to the BBC.
- E.T.: The beloved movie alien.
- A peacock: One of her most colorful transformations.
- Princess Fiona from “Shrek”: Complete with ogre makeup.
- Jessica Rabbit: The cartoon bombshell from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.”
- The “Thriller” werewolf: A nod to Michael Jackson’s classic video.
- A butterfly: One of her more elegant looks.
Klum has said these costumes only last one night. At last year’s party she told Variety, “Everything goes down the drain, so to speak, in the shower.”
Who Else Was at Heidi Klum’s Halloween Party?
The guest list was full of committed costumes. According to the BBC, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka came as the creepy twins from “The Shining,” singer Jade Thirlwall dressed as a stone angel statue, and “Severance” actor Tramell Tillman arrived in detailed prosthetic makeup. AP also photographed actor Kyle MacLachlan arriving with his son Callum.
Other celebrity Halloween costumes making headlines
Across the Atlantic, TV host Maya Jama threw her own London party dressed as four-time Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah. She told Elle UK that Farah sent her his real Olympic outfits and medals, the BBC reported. Comedian Katherine Ryan came dressed as Jama, and singer Lily Allen went as a Ticketmaster seating map covered in unsold tickets.
What’s Next for Heidi Klum?
If you’re wondering what she’ll be next year, so is she. “November 1 is also when I start thinking about next year,” Klum told Vogue, adding that she is “always collecting ideas.” She stays busy outside Halloween as well: Variety notes she hosted the 22nd season of “Project Runway” earlier this year.
If you’re still in Halloween mode, check our breakdown of this year’s top costumes and candy prices and the Halloween 2026 weather forecast. And don’t forget that clocks fell back this weekend; our daylight saving time guide covers what changed.
FAQ
What did Heidi Klum dress as for Halloween 2026?
She dressed as a giant, bloodied severed hand modeled on her own left hand, including copies of her rings and finger tattoo.
Who made Heidi Klum’s hand costume?
Special effects artist Mike Marino and his ProRenFX team, who used existing scans of Klum’s body to recreate her hand.
Where was Heidi Klum’s 2026 Halloween party?
It was held on Oct. 31, 2026, at the Cathédrale restaurant in Manhattan, New York City, and marked the party’s 25th anniversary.
How many people did it take to get Heidi Klum into the costume?
Klum said it took “about 10 or 20 hands” to put the costume together on her.
What was Heidi Klum’s Halloween costume in 2025?
Medusa, with a headpiece of snakes. Her husband Tom Kaulitz dressed as a soldier turned to stone.
Featured image: Heidi Klum at the Empire State Building on Oct. 29, 2026, ahead of Halloween. Photo by Colleen Sturtevant, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped).
