MGM Models' skincare brand went insolvent two years in — it outgrew its own capacity

MGM Cosmetics GmbH was the skincare brand of MGM Models, Germany's largest model agency, which represents around 1,200 models including stars such as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. The idea was to build an own beauty brand alongside the agency. The company began selling its 'High-Performance Skincare' line, positioned at fashion-show level, in August 2023.

In February 2025, the Hamburg family office 4Tree Capital took a stake in MGM Cosmetics and took over the operational business. The partnership soon failed. MGM Models tried to buy back its shares, but the two sides could not agree on a price, reportedly because 4Tree Capital demanded more than the agency was willing to pay.

In December 2025, the Local Court of Hamburg appointed Kévin Tanguy of the firm Merath & Tanguy as provisional insolvency administrator. CEO Marco Sinervo said the idea had been to run an own brand, but 'everything quickly grew over our heads' — online shops and customer service were new territory for an agency. The company acknowledged it had 'a very successful start, but grew faster in terms of capacity than we could map internally.'

The administrator aimed to stabilise the company and check whether continued operation was possible. Pre-produced goods remained in stock and could still be sold. The fate of the brand depended on finding an investor, and a revival was described as depending on the parties reconciling.