Heidi Klum showed off her confidence on the beaches of St Barts, splashing through the waves in a thong bikini alongside family members and her nine-month-old dog, Fritz.
The 53-year-old supermodel, sporting a golden tan, slicked-back hair and reflective sunglasses, was joined by her daughter Leni, 22, and Leni's hockey player boyfriend, Aris Rachevsky, also 22, who appeared to have a sunburned back. Klum's son Henry was also present for the beach day.
Klum and Leni took turns wading in the shallows while cuddling Fritz, the pup she adopted from a pop-up shelter and introduced to her Instagram followers in April. At one point, Klum was seen adjusting her mauve bikini top while emerging from the sea. Leni was carried across the sand by Rachevsky, whom she has been dating for about seven years.
"You would look better if you had more meat on your bones"
The beach outing came weeks after Klum revealed that her husband, Tokio Hotel musician Tom Kaulitz, had encouraged her to gain weight. Klum told Us Weekly that Kaulitz was the first person to point out that she looked better with a fuller figure, saying she should eat more.
Reflecting on the advice, Klum said she looked back at photos and agreed with him, noting that proportion-wise she looks better bigger. She added that she has no interest in the weight-loss drugs many Hollywood celebrities are using, saying she has gained weight over the years and believes that with age, people look better than when they are very thin.
Joining Kaulitz on tour
Klum, who has been married to Kaulitz since 2019, acknowledged that their busy schedules can be a challenge. She described how the couple grew very close during the COVID-19 pandemic when they were together every day, making it difficult when the world reopened and they had to spend time apart.
She noted that Kaulitz goes on tour frequently while she films her show in New York for five weeks at a time. However, she said she plans to accompany him when his band heads out on tour in November, describing herself as the fangirl who will be in the front row.
Klum also mentioned she was recently in Barcelona with Elle MacPherson, who was touring with her boyfriend, the guitar player for Eric Clapton. Klum said it is beautiful to see a spouse doing what they love, and that Kaulitz also comes to her set.
