Business19 September, 20263 min read
Steven Kolb Resigns After Physically Restraining PETA Protesters at COS Runway Show
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Kolb resigned as CFDA CEO and president after the altercation with PETA protesters at NYFW. He had been on leave of absence before announcing his resignation.
9 outlets told this the same way.
Kolb Quits After NYFW Clash
Steven Kolb resigned as president and CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America after he was filmed physically restraining two PETA protesters during the COS runway show at New York Fashion Week on September 13. Kolb said in a statement, “After 20 years leading the CFDA, I have made the difficult decision to step down as CEO and president,” and the CFDA board said, “We respect Steven’s decision to step down and are grateful for his many years of leadership and service to the CFDA and our industry.”
The incident involved Kolb putting his hands over protesters’ mouths at the runway show for Cos, a brand owned by H&M, and CNN said the altercation “quickly stunned many in the fashion world.” The New York Times reported that Kolb, 64, was shown shoving and placing his hand over the mouth of a young male protester later identified as Mason Melito, and then pulling a female protester to the ground while restraining her as he covered her mouth.
PETA, Apologies, and Debate
After the confrontation, Kolb acknowledged his actions on September 13 and said, “I reacted inappropriately to an incident at a show earlier today,” adding, “It wasn’t my place to do so. I should have let the security team handle the situation.”
InStyle said PETA activists disrupted the live COS fashion show by “seated themselves within the audience of editors and buyers,” then “jumping into the show at different intervals,” while a physical altercation ensued between one protester and an audience member later identified as Kolb.
The New York Times reported that Mason Melito told the paper he planned to file a police report and pursue criminal charges, and it also said the video had been viewed more than 500,000 times on Instagram with comments criticizing Kolb’s behavior.
WWD described Kolb’s apology on Instagram Stories as saying, “My actions were wrong and I am deeply sorry. I take full responsibility for my actions,” and it quoted PETA’s response that the incident “would never have taken place” if H&M’s CEO had taken action to avoid “extreme violence to animals exploited for clothing.”
What Happens Next for CFDA
The CFDA board placed Kolb on leave pending a full review after the incident, and InStyle said the board’s statement thanked him while Kolb’s resignation ended his tenure that included 15 years as CEO. In the days around his departure, the CFDA’s leadership and public messaging emphasized continuity, with the CFDA board telling members, “We respect Steven’s decision to step down and are grateful for his many years of service to the CFDA and our industry.”
WION said the controversy began on September 13 during COS' Spring/Summer 2027 runway show in New York, when PETA activists disrupted the event to protest the use of wool, and it said video footage showed Kolb physically intervening with two protesters. The New York Times reported that the organization did not name an immediate successor, while CNN said Kolb was stepping down after two decades leading the council, which it described as “the fashion industry’s main trade organization.”