Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum is a German-American model, television host, producer, and businesswoman. She was the first German model to become a Victoria's Secret Angel and landed the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 1998. Today she is best known as the creator and host of Germany's Next Topmodel, a role she has held since 2006, and for her 14-year run as host and judge of Project Runway, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award. Klum also served as a judge on America's Got Talent from 2013 to 2018.

Beyond television, she has built a business empire spanning fashion lines, fragrances, and endorsements with brands like H&M and Jordache. Forbes ranked her the world's second-highest-earning model in 2011, noting she had become more of a businesswoman than a model. Klum became a U.S. citizen in 2008 while retaining her German citizenship. She is known for her warm, playful public persona and her ability to reinvent herself across industries. [edit]

Heidi Klum grew up in Bergisch Gladbach, a middle-class suburb of Cologne. Her father, Günther, worked as a cosmetics company executive, and her mother, Erna, was a hairdresser. As a teenager, Klum was drawn to fashion and dance. She was accepted into a design school in Düsseldorf to study fashion design, a path she planned to follow before modeling intervened.

In 1992, at age 18, Klum and a friend were flipping through a magazine when she spotted an ad for a national modeling contest called Model 92, sponsored by Petra magazine and a New York agency. On a whim, she sent in Polaroids. Five months later, she learned she had made the first cut. Out of an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 entrants, Klum was declared the winner on April 29, 1992. The prize was a modeling contract worth $300,000 with Metropolitan Models New York, offered by CEO Thomas Zeumer. She appeared on the Gottschalk Late Night Show to celebrate.

Klum finished school and then moved to South Beach, Florida, before settling in New York City in 1993. Her first major magazine cover came in 1994 with Mirabella, followed by spreads in Vogue, ELLE, and Marie Claire. She had initially planned to apprentice at a fashion design school, but the contract changed her trajectory. [edit]

Klum's breakthrough arrived in 1998 when she became the cover model of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. The following year she was selected as one of the original Victoria's Secret Angels, a role that brought her global visibility. She walked in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and later hosted it in 2002, 2006, 2007, and 2009. She left the brand in October 2010 after a 13-year run.

In December 2004, Klum launched Project Runway as host, executive producer, and head judge. The show became a critical and ratings success, earning multiple Emmy nominations. In 2013 she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program, sharing the honor with Tim Gunn. She remained with the show for 16 seasons, departing in September 2018.

In 2006, Klum began hosting Germany's Next Topmodel, which continues to air as of 2026. She joined the judging panel of America's Got Talent in 2013 and stayed through 2018. Klum has also acted in films including Ella Enchanted (2004), The Devil Wears Prada (2006, cameo), and Ocean's 8 (2018). She voiced a villain in the 2006 James Bond video game Everything or Nothing. Her business ventures include fragrance lines and endorsements with Dannon, H&M, and Jordache. [edit]

Klum is known for her vibrant, outgoing personality and a playful sense of humor that sets her apart from the typical supermodel mold. She is often described as approachable and goofy, with a down-to-earth demeanor. Media outlets have portrayed her as a savvy businesswoman who successfully transitioned from model to media mogul; Forbes specifically noted that after leaving Victoria's Secret, she became more of a businesswoman than a model.

Her signature style blends high fashion with accessible glamour. On social media, she shares behind-the-scenes content from her shows and family life, maintaining a warm and professional tone. Her German fan base is particularly strong through Germany's Next Topmodel, while international audiences know her from Project Runway and America's Got Talent. [edit]

Heidi Klum's connection to her audience defies the traditional model of a cult following. While pop stars often rely on organized clubs or specific hashtags to drive chart movements, Klum commands attention through a massive, decentralized social media presence rather than a structured fanbase with rituals or inside jokes. Her relationship with the public is mediated by her longevity and professional output, from the iconic Halloween parties at New York City's Dream Downtown, where she once appeared dressed as a simian, to her recent viral embrace of aging. In August 2026, a narrative shift occurred when she publicly stated, "I look better bigger," sparking widespread discussion about body positivity that became a defining chapter in her personal mythology. This cultural resonance places her among the most recognizable figures globally. According to the iFANN Global Fame Rankings, she holds the position of the 331st most famous person in the world, a standing that has held steady through recent cycles. Within her home nation, she ranks as the 7th most famous person in Germany. Among all individuals originating from that country, she is the 12th most famous person from Germany. Her influence extends specifically into her industry, where she is recognized as the 17th most famous person in Fashion & Beauty.[edit]

Known affectionately by the nickname The Body, Klum has always blended high fashion with a playful, approachable demeanor. Before achieving modeling stardom, she was accepted into design school with plans to become a fashion designer herself. She transitioned to U.S. citizenship in 2008 while retaining her German passport. Her career includes memorable music video appearances for Jamiroquai's Love Foolosophy and Kelis's Young, Fresh n' New. In 2010, she brought a bold concept to life by appearing naked in bed with then-husband Seal for his song Secret, a scene she personally conceived. Even after their divorce, the couple renewed their wedding vows annually for years. Beyond the camera, her legendary Halloween parties at Dream Downtown have become a staple of celebrity lore, featuring elaborate costumes like her time dressed as a simian. More recently, her 2026 declaration regarding body image and weight gain has cemented a new era of acceptance in her public story.[edit]

Klum's parents are Erna Klum, a hairdresser, and Günther Klum, a cosmetics company executive. She has one brother, Michael. She grew up in a middle-class household in Bergisch Gladbach, where her father worked long hours. Klum has said his work ethic taught her the value of hard work.

She has four children: daughter Leni (born 2004, father Flavio Briatore), sons Henry (2005) and Johan (2006), and daughter Lou (2009) with ex-husband Seal. Seal adopted Leni after their marriage. Klum married Tom Kaulitz, guitarist of Tokio Hotel, in 2019. The couple divides their time between Los Angeles and Germany. [edit]

Klum's most frequent collaborator is Tim Gunn, with whom she co-hosted Project Runway for 16 seasons. She has worked closely with ex-husband Seal on commercials and music videos. Her current husband Tom Kaulitz is a musician in Tokio Hotel. Flavio Briatore is the father of her eldest daughter. Thomas Gottschalk featured her on his late-night show after her contest win. [edit]

Klum married hairstylist Ric Pipino in 1997; they divorced around 2002. She dated Italian businessman Flavio Briatore from approximately 1999 to 2002, with whom she had daughter Leni in 2004. In 2005, she married British singer Seal. They had three biological children together: Henry (2005), Johan (2006), and Lou (2009). Seal also adopted Leni. The couple separated in 2012 and divorced in 2014. Klum married German musician Tom Kaulitz in 2019; as of 2026, they remain married. [edit]

iFANN currently estimates Heidi Klum's net worth at $160 Million in 2026. This substantial figure stems from a diversified portfolio built over decades. Her wealth includes earnings from her long-running contract as a Victoria's Secret Angel between 1999 and 2010, alongside her roles hosting and producing Project Runway and Germany's Next Topmodel. Additional income flows from her tenure as a judge on America's Got Talent and lucrative endorsements with major brands such as Dannon, H&M, Jordache, and Braun. She has also generated significant revenue through her own fashion lines and fragrances. Notably, she served as Barbie's official ambassador in 2009. Her real estate holdings span properties in Los Angeles, London, and New York.[edit]

Klum won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2013 for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program for Project Runway, sharing the award with Tim Gunn. She has received several other nominations for her television work. [edit]