Munich was abuzz on a recent Thursday night as models, German celebrities, fashion trendsetters, and influencers gathered, all dressed in traditional lederhosen, dirndls, and wool socks. Their collective reason for embracing the German attire? An exclusive invitation from Heidi Klum.
Kilian Kerner, a prominent German designer, confessed he’d never normally wear such traditional German clothing—short leather pants, wool socks, and a vest for men—”Only for Heidi,” he stated, highlighting the supermodel’s unique influence.
This sentiment resonated among the approximately 800 guests at Hofbräuhaus München, one of the city’s oldest breweries, for Ms. Klum’s inaugural “Heidi Fest.” The name, which sounds so natural you might think it’s a long-standing tradition, was her personal homage to the cherished German custom of communal beer drinking, camaraderie, and singing beloved folk songs.
With Oktoberfest kicking off that weekend, celebrated in grand beer tents across Munich and Germany, Heidi Fest embodied the annual event’s festive spirit, but with an extra dash of Heidi’s signature flair.
Servers, impeccably dressed in traditional attire, circulated through the crowd, balancing enormous platters of pretzels and impressive stacks of beer steins. The dinner menu was a hearty German feast, featuring classics like schnitzel and sausages, accompanied by spaetzle and mashed potatoes generously smothered in gravy. Adding a touch of modern inclusion, pride flags were interspersed among the table settings, alongside napkins adorned with a smiling illustration of Ms. Klum in a dirndl—a fitted bodice, a knee-length skirt, and an apron.
Ms. Klum revealed several motivations for hosting her Oktoberfest celebration. In part, she aimed to showcase Germany’s vibrant party scene to her American friends. “We can get wild,” she declared. “So I thought: We have to show people.”
Besides a night of unabashed fun, Heidi Fest also celebrated the culture Ms. Klum grew up on. She used to watch German music programs with her grandmother as a child, she said. “A lot of these entertainers I watched when I was 7, 8 years old, they were here today,” Ms. Klum shared. “It was special for me. Like a little homage to my granny.”
Coming less than two months before her legendary Halloween bash in New York, Heidi Fest firmly established Ms. Klum’s presence on the autumn party calendar on both sides of the Atlantic.
On Thursday, Ms. Klum curated a lineup of singers who delivered crowd-pleasing bangers. Most of the songs performed were German, with many guests enthusiastically belting out every lyric.
The star-studded performances included the iconic Weather Girls with “It’s Raining Men,” Lou Bega captivating the audience with his infectious “Mambo No. 5,” a dazzling drag performance of “I Will Survive,” and Haddaway delivering his timeless 1993 hit “What Is Love.”
A brief historical note: Oktoberfest originated in October 1810 as a folk festival celebrating a royal wedding. A year later, the desire to repeat these festivities sparked the annual tradition we know today. It typically begins in mid-September, when Germany’s weather is usually still mild, and concludes on the first Sunday of October.
For some attendees, Heidi Fest marked their first encounter with this rich German tradition. Michael Marino, the Emmy-winning makeup artist responsible for Ms. Klum’s renowned Halloween costumes, admitted he usually avoids costumes and found his lederhosen slightly snug.
The festive event offered a temporary break for Marino before he delved back into preparations for Ms. Klum’s upcoming Halloween costume, which he promised would be “the most elaborate one we’ve ever done.”
British photographer Rankin, a long-time collaborator with Ms. Klum for over two decades, found it challenging to select his outfit for the evening. “She seems to know what people want,” Mr. Rankin remarked about Ms. Klum’s knack for event planning. “It’s kind of nuts.”
Ms. Klum, 52, who surprisingly revealed she had never attended Oktoberfest before, made a grand entrance in a traditional bright red dirndl, tastefully showcasing her décolletage while the skirt and apron elegantly covered her knees. “I feel like you have to continue with the tradition,” she explained regarding her outfit choice. “I think a lot of people expected me to be in a super short, bedazzled type thing.” (She noted she had previously worn such a short, bedazzled dirndl to Coachella.)
As the night progressed, Ms. Klum swapped her bright red pumps for a more comfortable lower white pair, eventually changing into New Balance sneakers, perfectly suited for dancing on tables until midnight.
Heidi Fest was also a televised event, with a special broadcast of the evening shown on German TV on the same night.
Among the distinguished guests were Ms. Klum’s four children, her partner, musician Tom Kaulitz, and his twin brother, Bill Kaulitz; Ms. Klum’s mother, Erna Klum; Brazilian supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio; renowned photographer Antoine Verglas; and fashion designer twin brothers Jesus and Antonio Estrada, alongside many other luminaries.
Jesus Estrada praised Ms. Klum for “bringing queerness to Germany” through Heidi Fest and expressed confidence that this memorable event would not be the last. Ms. Klum enthusiastically agreed, proposing, “Let’s meet again next year.”
