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CFDA President Steven Kolb Suspended After Physical Altercation With PETA Protesters at NYFW COS Show
Huge drama erupted on the runway during New York Fashion Week on Sunday when Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) President and CEO Steven Kolb took matters into his own hands during a PETA demonstration at the COS Spring/Summer show.
Sitting front-row at the show were Sharon Stone, John Boyega, Michelle Williams, and Lupita Nyong'o, when PETA activists staged a catwalk takeover. Carrying signs reading"Sheep beaten and bloodied for wool. Don't buy it"
The demonstrators targeted the H&M Group-owned brand over its sourcing practices following recent undercover exposés.
Although venue security had moved in to handle the disruption, footage captured by media outlets in attendance showed Kolb aggressively intervening. Acting past standard audience decorum, Kolb grabbed a female protester, pulled her toward the floor, wrapped his leg around her to pin her down, and covered her nose and mouth with his hands. He was also filmed confronting and shoving a second activist who was attempting to record the demonstration.
PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk promptly condemned the executive's actions in a statement, announcing that the organization was filing a police report and pursuing criminal charges against Kolb.
“Today's actions show how top people in fashion use violence to silence people who expose how sheep are beaten, bloodied, and violently killed for scarves and sweaters,” Newkirk stated.
As backlash mounted online and across the industry, Kolb initially issued an apology via WWD and his personal social media channels, writing,
“I reacted inappropriately to an incident at a show earlier today. It wasn't my place to do so. I should have let the security team handle the situation.”
However, as calls for his resignation or a formal reprimand continued to grow, the fallout deepened significantly. The CFDA board has officially placed Kolb on professional leave pending a full, formal review of the incident.
In an updated statement, Kolb announced he was taking a voluntary leave from his duties, noting that reviewing the footage made him realize he did not recognize his own actions. He stated that he is meeting with a professional to ensure a similar incident never happens again, taking full responsibility for his behavior. Additionally, Kolb noted that he has accepted an invitation from PETA to discuss their concerns directly and hopes to offer an in-person apology to the two activists involved.
While runway protests are typically not uncommon during fashion week, the escalation of this particular incident from a peaceful demonstration to a physical altercation has shifted the focus away from the clothes and straight toward questions of corporate accountability, physical safety, and decorum in the world of fashion.
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