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The CEO and president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America said he will voluntarily take a leave of absence after he was captured on video grabbing an animal rights protester and covering her mouth during a New York Fashion Week runway show Sunday.
In the video, which NBC News viewed, Steven Kolb grabbed the person from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who was protesting fashion designer COS’ use of wool at its runway show. He then pulled the protester to the side of the runway, covering her mouth and using his leg to restrain her.
On Monday, Kolb apologized for his actions and said he took full responsibility.
“What happened was completely out of character for me, both personally and as a leader,” he said in a statement. “As I review the videos, I understand the reaction they have generated. Frankly, I don’t recognize that person. As a result, I am taking a voluntary leave from work and meeting with a professional to ensure it never happens again.”
The council did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Last year, the council, which is the leading trade organization for the fashion industry, announced that beginning with the September 2026 New York Fashion Week, animal fur will no longer be permitted at any of the fashion week’s events. The announcement did not mention wool.
PETA protester restrained by fashion CEO
PETA said in a statement that Kolb “assaulted” two of its protesters.
Kolb “violently grabbed one protester, held her to the floor, wrapped a leg around her, and covered her mouth and nose with his hands as she shouted, ‘Sheep bloodied and beaten for wool,’” the animal rights group alleged in a statement.
“Kolb also shoved and grabbed a second PETA member who was filming the catwalk takeover and covered his face with his hand,” PETA said. That was not shown in the video with Kolb.
Moira Colley, the senior director of media relations at PETA, said in an emailed statement that Kolb “reacted aggressively to peaceful protesters, thereby endorsing PETA’s complaint that the fashion industry is unthinkingly violent.”
“Perhaps due to internal criticism, he has apologized for his behavior and now PETA will explore a meeting with him and ask him to watch footage from our 17 exposés of the wool industry showing sheep being punched, kicked, and cut to ribbons for wool in the hope that he’ll realize something must be done,” she wrote.
Kolb said in his statement that he has accepted PETA’s invitation to meet and discuss its concerns. He added that he intends to use the meeting to apologize to the two protesters in person.
“There is no justification for physically restraining another person,” he added. “Security should have handled the situation, and I should have stepped back. Nothing about the circumstances excuses my actions.”
H&M Group, the Swedish parent company of COS, said in a statement Monday that “an unfortunate incident happened at the COS show, and our priority was always the safety of guests, models, and colleagues at the event.”
“When it comes to PETA’s allegations on wool sourced for our brand we can share that, we only source animal fibres from certified farms and, where possible, from recycled sources, where quality and availability allow,” the statement said. “All virgin wool and mohair used in our products come from farms certified by the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) and the Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS). Both third‑party certification systems are owned and governed by Textile Exchange.”
The company said that after an investigation into PETA’s allegations, licenses for one wool farm and one mohair farm “have been suspended, and these farms are no longer permitted to sell certified materials.”
“Animal welfare is very important to us at H&M Group, and no animals should be harmed in the making of our products,” the statement said. “We take allegations of breaches of the third‑party certifications we rely on very seriously.”
The company said it “welcome[s] investigations such as these, as they play an important role in strengthening standards and driving progress, and we remain committed to continuously improving animal welfare across our value chain.”
Kolb said in a statement during its announcement banning animal fur last year that CFDA hoped “to inspire American designers to think more deeply about the fashion industry’s impact on animals.”
“Consumers are moving away from products associated with animal cruelty, and we want to position American fashion as a leader on those fronts, while also driving material innovation,” he said.
Daniella Silva is a national reporter for NBC News, focusing on immigration.
Insiya Gandhi is an Assignment Editor based in New York.
Adam Reiss is a reporter and producer for NBC and MSNBC.
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