Heidi Klum, the ever-radiant supermodel and television personality, has once again made headlines—this time for her sun-drenched and unapologetically confident holiday in St. Barths with her husband, Tom Kaulitz. The 52-year-old, known for her fearless embrace of body positivity and age-defying style, spent the final days of December 2025 indulging in a tropical escape that was as much about romance as it was about self-expression.
Photographers and fans alike caught glimpses of Klum making the most of the Caribbean sun, often clad in little more than a bikini bottom and her signature confidence. According to OK! Magazine, on December 26, Klum was seen drying off from a swim with a beach towel emblazoned with her husband’s face—a playful nod to their close bond and the lighthearted spirit of their getaway. The couple, who married in February 2019, seemed as in love as ever, their chemistry on full display as they splashed through the crystal-clear waters and lounged on the pristine sands.
Klum’s choice of beachwear was as varied as it was bold. On one occasion, she opted for brown thong bikini bottoms paired with a patterned bikini top. Other times, she went topless, donning only high-cut bikini bottoms, white sunglasses, and a pearl necklace draped elegantly around her neck. As reported by the Daily Mail, her cherry-patterned string thongkini—complete with a white bikini top adorned with red cherries and matching bottoms with red polka dots—turned heads and drew praise across social media. Fans flooded her posts with comments like “CUTE,” “Classic,” and a flurry of pink heart emojis, celebrating her playful yet classic holiday style.
The accessories were just as memorable. That now-famous towel with Kaulitz’s face wasn’t the only romantic touch; Klum finished off her looks with subtle gold hoop earrings, glossy red nail polish, and a long gold chain supporting her pearl necklace. Kaulitz, for his part, matched her flair with leopard print swimming trunks and a relaxed, neutral look when not in the water. Their shared moments—whether drying off on the sand or trekking along the rocky shoreline—spoke volumes about the couple’s enduring connection.
This tropical retreat followed a festive Christmas in New York City, where Klum and Kaulitz celebrated with Klum’s family. Social media snapshots showed the pair ice skating under the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, both clad in festive pajamas. The holiday spirit, it seems, traveled with them from the chilly city streets to the balmy beaches of St. Barths.
But the story of Heidi Klum’s vacation is about more than just sun, sand, and swimwear. It’s a testament to her ongoing campaign for body positivity and her refusal to be limited by age or societal expectations. In a 2025 interview with People, Klum addressed the stigma often attached to aging, especially for women in the public eye. “For me to be older, it doesn’t matter,” she reflected. “I don’t have this age-shaming or body-shaming thing. I feel like everyone should do what they want to do.” She continued, “The biggest misconception [about] being in your 50s is that you are off the shelf. You’re not off the shelf. We are very much on that shelf for everyone to see. Don’t hide in your 50s. Beauty is ever-changing, and I’m here for the change. If it’s always the same, life is boring.”
Klum’s comfort with nudity and her relaxed approach to self-image didn’t develop overnight. She credits both her upbringing and her decades-long modeling career for her ease in her own skin. “I grew up going to nude beaches with my parents, so I’m a nudist,” she told Ocean Drive magazine back in 2018. “I have no problems with nudity at all. I’m very free. When I go to the beach, it’s in a very remote place where there are not a lot of people, and I like to go topless.” The sentiment has only grown stronger over the years. “I’ve been photographed nude or in lingerie since 1992,” she said to OK! Magazine. “So for me, it’s nothing new. Instead of being in my little bottoms in a magazine, I’m on Instagram. It’s the same thing.”
Her strategic approach to sunbathing—often going topless to avoid tan lines—was explained with a characteristic wink. “I just don’t like tan lines because I wear so many different outfits. I don’t want to have straps anywhere from tan lines. It’s very strategic,” she told People in 2023. “When I do America’s Got Talent, most of the time I sit behind a desk, so it’s really from the waist up.” She added, “I like to have Hans and Franz on a good display,” jokingly referencing her breasts. Klum also emphasized the importance of a healthy lifestyle in maintaining her figure, telling Body and Soul in 2021, “I try to eat super healthy. We eat at like 6 to 6:30pm, [and having] home-cooked food, knowing what you’re eating is super important. I love healthy food; I don’t really eat much junk. I like to be fit and I like to feel fit.”
Beyond her personal journey, Klum’s influence extends to her blended family. She shares daughter Leni, 21, with former boyfriend Flavio Briatore, and sons Henry, 20, Johan, 19, and Lou, 16, with ex-husband Seal, who was married to Klum from 2005 to 2014 and adopted Leni as his own. Kaulitz has stepped into the role of stepfather with enthusiasm since their marriage, and Klum often celebrates their family’s milestones and togetherness on social media. Notably, both Leni and Henry have begun to make their own mark in the modeling world, following in their mother’s celebrated footsteps.
As 2025 drew to a close, Klum’s St. Barths holiday became, for many, a symbol of living life unapologetically and embracing every season—literal and metaphorical—with joy. Her beachside confidence, candid interviews, and family-centered celebrations have kept her firmly on that “shelf for everyone to see,” as she puts it. For fans and followers, Heidi Klum’s latest adventure is more than just a collection of glamorous vacation snapshots; it’s a reminder that beauty, love, and self-assurance don’t come with an expiration date.
