Heidi Klum turns heads as Medusa at her annual Halloween party after teasing fans with sneak peeks all day

Heidi Klum turned heads as Medusa at her 24th annual Halloween party in New York City, after a day of cryptic Instagram teases and a late-night red-carpet reveal at the Hard Rock Hotel. The build used movie-level effects with a crown of independently moving serpents, reptilian contacts, a split tongue, fanged prosthetics, a scaled body with a sweeping tail, and a bow prop for stone-cold poses.

Heidi Klum spent roughly nine to 10 hours in the chair for the final application, and the concept began in April with a six-month build led by special-effects master Mike Marino and a team of more than 15 artists. Husband Tom Kaulitz completed the tableau as a Greek soldier turned to stone. Inside, Questlove handled the music as a stream of costumed guests filed through the venue. Heidi Klum’s caption played on the myth and the spectacle with a warning to look away before it was too late.

What Heidi Klum wore: Inside the Medusa build

Heidi Klum’s Medusa was conceived in April and executed across six months by a team that topped 15 artists under Mike Marino. Vogue reported nine hours in the chair, while an E! interview put the combined get-in for Heidi Klum and Tom Kaulitz at about 10 hours. The crown used wired and mechanically writhing snakes that moved independently. The face was built with layered green prosthetics over a narrowed upper lip with fanged teeth and a custom split snake tongue. The body read as scaled armor with a long, rattlesnake-like tail and green contact lenses with a reptilian pupil.

As per a Vogue report dated November 1, 2025, Heidi Klum said,

“I look forward to Halloween all year....I have been doing this for 24 years, and hope I can do it forever. Every year, I get more inspired and more enthusiastic. It is just a perfect day to be silly, dress up, dance with friends, be creative, and eat candy!”

As per an E! News report dated November 1, 2025, Heidi Klum stated,

“Everything is hand-painted....About 15 people have been working on this, and I think they did a fantastic job.”

The couple's presentation relied on contrast and story. Kaulitz wore a full gray stone effect to complete the myth and pose beside Heidi Klum for photographs. Her Halloween Instagram caption reiterated the bit with,

“HAPPY HEIDIWEEN Don’t stare too long or you’ll turn to stone.”

The goal was durability as much as drama, since Heidi Klum planned to dance once the reveal ended. As per Vogue report dated November 1, 2025, Heidi Klum remarked,

“I made sure that I can dance in my costume,”

noting that Questlove would be on the decks, stating further,

"because my friend Questlove is deejaying, and I am ready to shake this rattlesnake tail!"

Inside the 24th annual “Heidiween” at Hard Rock Hotel New York

The event returned as the 24th edition of Heidi Klum’s long-running “Heidiween,” hosted at Hard Rock Hotel New York, with the presentation billed on step-and-repeat as Presented by Butterfinger. The red-carpet reveal landed just before midnight, matching the day-long drip campaign that Heidi Klum ran on Instagram to misdirect fans. Early posts showed deranged teeth, a high ponytail that proved a fake-out, paint trays and tools, a bald cap, a bundle of wires hinting at animatronics, and close-up prosthetic work.

The sequence primed the final look and kept speculation churning until the doors opened. On music duties inside, Questlove kept tempo as Heidi Klum worked the floor in full build. Context mattered for readers who track the party’s history. The first bash dates to 2000, and there were no parties in 2020 or 2021. The 2025 edition re-centred the reveal as a performance as much as a photoshoot, which is why the Medusa rig balanced mobility with spectacle for Heidi Klum.

Who was there at the Hard Rock Hotel and what they wore

The guest list offered plenty of on-theme looks that played well on a crowded carpet. Darren Criss arrived as Shrek, with Mia Swier as Puss in Boots, and posed alongside Heidi Klum after the reveal. Ice-T and Coco Austin stopped for photos. Famke Janssen, Coco Jones, Ilona Maher, Alexis Ren, Gigi Gorgeous, Tamron Hall, Rei Ami, and Campbell “Pookie” Puckett with Jett Puckett were among the recognizable faces at the party.

The gallery rotation also featured Ariana Madix and other television and fashion names who orbit Heidi Klum’s annual Halloween circuit. The point for many guests is the creative permission that Heidi Klum’s over-the-top costumes grant. The bar is set at the door, and guests meet it on the carpet and then on the dance floor. The 2025 outing kept that tradition intact with a venue that supported the spectacle and a build that let Heidi Klum perform the character all night.

Stay tuned for more updates.