CFDA Chief Steven Kolb Takes Leave After Grabbing Protesters

According to CNBC, CFDA CEO Steven Kolb took voluntary leave after physically restraining animal rights activists at a COS runway show during NYFW.

According to CNBC, Steven Kolb, CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, grabbed at least two animal rights activists at H&M-owned COS' runway show on September 13, 2026, during New York Fashion Week. The activists were protesting the brand's use of sheep's wool. Per CNBC, videos viewed by Reuters that circulated widely online show Kolb restraining one activist on the ground and covering her mouth with his hand, before security removed a protester holding a sign from the runway as models presented the Cos Spring Summer 2027 collection.

CNBC reports that Kolb apologized for the incident in a statement on Monday and said he was taking a voluntary leave from work, with plans to meet with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the group behind the protest. "There is no justification for physically restraining another person. Security should have handled the situation, and I should have stepped back," Kolb said in a statement on his Instagram account, per CNBC. The outlet notes that CFDA, the official organizer of New York Fashion Week, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the incident or Kolb's position at the trade group.

According to CNBC, PETA is urging H&M and COS to ban wool from their collections, adding in a Sunday statement that Kolb's actions "show how top people in fashion use violence to silence people" advocating for animal rights. H&M told the outlet it only sources animal-derived fibers from certified farms and, where possible, from recycled sources. "We are deeply sorry about the incident that occurred in connection with our AW26 show on 13 September," an H&M spokesperson said in a statement reported by CNBC, adding that the company respects everyone's right to express their views and believes everyone should be treated with care and respect.

The incident reverberated online and throughout New York's fashion sector, as CNBC describes it, landing at the trade group that organizes New York Fashion Week itself — a striking counterpoint to the week's creative celebration. WWD's coverage of the spring 2027 shows, published separately, framed the season backstage as an unapologetic dive into party-girl glam and retro drama, from Y2K-era crimped hair at Christian Siriano and Christian Cowan to Luar's '90s and early-2000s-inspired fantasy makeup by Andrew Dahling.