CFDA’s Steven Kolb Placed on Leave After Altercation

Council of Fashion Designers of America president Steven Kolb is being placed on leave from the organisation following an altercation with PETA protestors at the Cos runway show during New York Fashion Week on Sunday.

“The CFDA takes this matter very seriously, and as a result, Mr. Kolb will be on leave pending a full review,” the organisation said in a statement. “The CFDA as an organisation is committed to working with dissenting voices to find commonality and is engaged in efforts to move the American fashion industry forward while upholding the values of our membership, including respectful engagement with differing viewpoints.”

Via Instagram Stories on his personal account, Kolb shared his own 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,” he wrote. “I am deeply sorry and hold myself accountable. I have accepted an invitation from PETA to meet and discuss their concerns, and I hope to have the opportunity to apologise in person to the two individuals who did not deserve that treatment.”

Calls for Kolb’s resignation — or at least an official reprimand — grew after video of the incident, captured by fashion news site Fashionista, began circulating online. In the video, Kolb is seen wrestling one protester to the ground and pushing another against a window, while covering their mouths. Mason Melito, one of the protestors seen in the video, told The New York Times he planned to file a police report against Kolb.

Kolb has been with the CFDA for two decades, joining in 2006 before being appointed chief executive in 2011. In his position, he is a key figure in American fashion, overseeing initiatives like the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund as well as the annual CFDA Awards.

Stay tuned to BoF for updates on this developing story.