Leni Klum made sure all eyes were on her as she joined the star-studded guest list at the 2025 Vienna Opera Ball – the first since the death of billionaire Richard Lugner.
The model, 20, put on a dazzling display as she socialised with stars including Candice Swanepoel and Ed Westwick at the Vienna State Opera on Thursday night.
The Opera Ball is known for its A-list guests, with controversial billionaire Lugner reportedly paying thousands to take celebrities along, including Kim Kardashian and Geri Halliwell.
The Austrian construction tycoon died at the age of 91 in August 2024 after suffering several health issues, and the 67th annual ball marks the first since his pᴀssing.
Stepping out at the event, Leni oozed sophistication in a figure-hugging plum dress covered in sparkling sequins as she made sure to turn heads.
The daughter of Heidi Klum and Flavio Briatore gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of black heels to complete her outfit.
Leni Klum made sure all eyes were on her as she joined the star-studded guest list at the 2025 Vienna Opera Ball – the first since the death of billionaire Richard Lugner
The model, 20, put on a dazzling display as she socialised with other stars at the Vienna State Opera on Thursday night
The Opera Ball is known for its A-list guests, with controversial billionaire Lugner reportedly paying thousands to take celebrities along, including Kim Kardashian (both pictured in 2014)
She accessorised with a glitzy statement silver necklace and a matching bracelet as she brought the Hollywood glamour to the festivities.
Leni also showed off her new brunette hairstyle as she swept her glossy locks back into a sleek up-do after ditching her signature blonde tresses.
She was joined by supermodel Candice Swanepoel, who put on a very elegant display in a cream satin midi dress with cape-style sleeves.
The Victoria’s Secret angel, 36, added to her frame with a pair of silver heels and added a touch of glitz with a silver jewelled choker necklace.
She showed off her stunning features with a dewy make-up palette as she joined Leni in a luxury box to watch the esteemed opera and ballroom dance performance.
Gossip Girl actor Ed Westwick, 37, was also in attendance and cut a suave figure in a black tuxedo as he posed with the two models.
It marks the first Opera Ball since the death of Austrian billionaire Lugner, known for his extravagant lifestyle, many wives and glamourous dates with A-listers.
Lugner pᴀssed away in his Viennese villa on August 12, 2024, Austrian media reported at the time.
Stepping out at the event, Leni oozed sophistication in a figure-hugging plum dress covered in sparkling sequins as she made sure to turn heads
The daughter of Heidi Klum and Flavio Briatore gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of black heels to complete her outfit
She accessorised with a glitzy statement silver necklace and a matching bracelet as she brought the Hollywood glamour to the festivities
Leni also showed off her new brunette hairstyle as she swept her glossy locks back into a sleek up-do after ditching her signature blonde tresses
Leni appeared to be in jovial spirits as she was seen smiling and waving from the box amid the opera performance
She was joined by supermodel Candice Swanepoel, who put on a very elegant display in a cream satin midi dress with cape-style sleeves
The Victoria’s Secret angel, 36, added to her frame with a pair of silver heels and added a touch of glitz with a silver jewelled choker necklace
Read More Inside Richard Lugner’s most controversial moments as Austrian billionaire dies aged 91 
Just a few weeks before his death, Lugner married his sixth wife, 42-year-old actress Simone ‘Biene’ Reilaender – who was 49 years his junior – in a ceremony documented by 20 TV crews and pH๏τographers.
The eccentric socialite was an integral part of Vienna’s high society, with Lugner frequently dominating the headlines, including criticism he faced over his Sєxist comments.
Lugner – nicknamed Mr Concrete due to his roots in the building trade – was notorious for the celebrity friends he was often seen partying with.
He reportedly paid six-figure sums to stars like Kim Kardashian, Geri Halliwell and Paris Hilton to be on his arm at the Opera Ball.
While the amount the tycoon paid his guests of honour has mostly remained a closely guarded secret, he seized on the opportunity to promote his brand and made sure to invite at least one star per year to the ball.
Since 1992, Lugner has invited acting icons like Goldie Hawn, Joan Collins and Jane Fonda as special guests, with Fonda saying he paid her ‘quite a bit of money’ to attend.
He most recently brought Priscilla Presley to the 2024 event and danced the night away with the former wife of Elvis Presley, just months before his death.
Sarah Ferguson attended the Opera Ball with Lugner in 1997, after he paid her a fee said to be between $50,000 and $150,000.
She swept her golden tresses back into a sleek up-do as she smiled for the cameras at the event
She showed off her stunning features with a dewy make-up palette as she sat in a luxury box to watch the esteemed opera and ballroom dance performance
Gossip Girl actor Ed Westwick, 37, was also in attendance and cut a suave figure in a black tuxedo as he posed with the two models
The trio all appeared to be in jovial form as they smiled for the cameras while sitting in a luxury box
Leni showed off her stunning features with a slick of eyeliner and a touch of blusher as she channeled her supermodel mother Heidi
Ed showed off his dapper sense of style as he watched on the epic performance with the other celebrity guests
Guests were treated to performances including ballroom dance and opera as they had quite the night of entertainment
More former guests of Lugner include Sophia Loren, Pamela Anderson, Paris Hilton and Joan Collins.
One of the star guests Lugner invited to the Opera Ball was Kim Kardashian, who he famously called ‘annoying’ after she and her mother Kris Jenner attended as his double date to the bash in 2014.
Kim claimed she fled the event because she was reportedly offended following a reported racial slur from a guest.
After the ball, Lugner claimed the star would not dance with him despite being paid a jaw-dropping $500,000 (nearly £400,000).
But Kim insisted she was approached by a white male who was working at the event in ‘blackface’ and began to mimic her then-fiancé Kanye West, which was why she ran away.
Despite calling the Vienna Ball ‘super glamorous’, Kim admitted she had been already suffering anxiety largely because the event was ‘super claustrophobic’.
Lugner has been married six times, with the ups and downs of his turbulent love life and he often opened up about his relationships.
In 1961, Lugner got married to Christine Gmeiner and their union lasted until 1978.
It marks the first Opera Ball since the death of Austrian billionaire Lugner, known for his glamourous ‘dates’ with A-listers. He is pictured with Geri Halliwell at the 2005 Opera Ball
He reportedly paid six-figure sums to stars to be on his arm at the Opera Ball. He is pictured with Pamela Anderson at the 2003 event
He most recently brought Priscilla Presley to the 2024 event and danced the night away with the former wife of Elvis Presley, just months before his death
Just a few weeks before his death, Lugner married his sixth wife, 42-year-old actress Simone ‘Biene’ Reilaender in a ceremony documented by 20 TV crews and pH๏τographers
He then married Cornelia Laufersweiler in 1979, but got swiftly divorced four years later in 1983.
His wedding to his third wife, Susanne Dietrich, followed a year later, with the couple divorcing in 1989.
Lugner was married to his fourth wife, Christina Lugner, from 1990 to 2007, before tying the knot with his fifth wife, Playboy Bunny Cathy Schmitz, in 2014. The couple with a 57-year age difference got divorced just 809 days later in 2016.
The billionaire announced his relationship with Simone Reilaender in 2021 and the couple got married in front of 50 guests June this year – just weeks before his death.
