PETA Takes Action Against CFDA CEO Following Cos Fashion Show Incident
By Editor • September 13, 2026 • 1 min read
Activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) are escalating their campaign against the fashion industry, announcing plans to file a police report against Steven Kolb, the CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). This follows a controversial incident at the Cos runway show held in New York City on Sunday, where Kolb was seen physically restraining protesters.
During the show at WSA, the PETA activists made their presence known by storming the runway, holding banners and shouting slogans about animal rights. Kolb intervened as one activist began to shout, "Sheep bloodied and beaten for wool," reportedly restraining her and covering her mouth and nose with his hands. He also confronted another activist who was filming the protest, leading to further criticism of his behavior. In response to the uproar, Kolb admitted in a statement, "I reacted inappropriately to an incident at a show earlier today. It wasn’t my place to do so. I should have let the security team handle the situation."
The CFDA later issued a statement supporting Kolb's acknowledgment that his actions were inappropriate, emphasizing that such disruptions should be managed by security professionals. PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk condemned Kolb's actions, stating, "Today’s actions show how top people in fashion use violence to silence people who expose how sheep are beaten, bloodied and violently killed for scarves and sweaters." She urged major brands like H&M and Cos to eliminate wool from their collections.
Source: wwd.com
