The chief executive of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Steven Kolb, announced on Friday that he is stepping down, days after he was filmed restraining two protesters at a New York runway show.
Kolb led the trade organisation, known as the fashion industry’s main trade organisation, for two decades. “I am enormously proud of what we have built together and believe this is the right moment for both me and the organisation to begin a new chapter,” he said in a statement.
The incident took place on Sunday during the runway show for Cos, a brand owned by H&M. Kolb was recorded forcibly restraining two activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) at the event as the pair sought to disrupt it with slogans about the use of wool. In the video, he is seen covering the mouth of activist Andrija Barak with his hands and restraining her with both his arms and a leg over her body. Kolb is also seen pushing a second activist, Mason Melito, and putting his hands over his mouth.
The footage circulated quickly and drew a widespread backlash. On Monday, Kolb apologised and announced he was taking a leave of absence pending an investigation. “There is no justification for physically restraining another person,” he said at the time. “Security should have handled the situation, and I should have stepped back.”
PETA said Kolb’s actions “show how top people in fashion use violence to silence people” advocating for animal rights. The group had initially planned to file a police report but changed course after visiting police and consulting lawyers.
The CFDA board, led by designer Thom Browne and including Vera Wang, Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors, described Kolb as a “dedicated leader and tireless champion of American fashion” and said it respected his decision. The council did not name a successor.
Animal-rights protests have become a recurring feature at major runway events, including a disruption at Hermes during Paris Fashion Week. PETA said it still planned to meet Kolb, and it credited him with his earlier role in getting fur banned from runway shows on the CFDA schedule. The group said it hoped others in the industry would “take meaningful steps to stop this epidemic of cruelty to animals.”