During the COS Fall-Winter 2026 runway show at the WSA building in New York on September 13, 2026, Council of Fashion Designers of America CEO Steven Kolb physically restrained two PETA protesters who interrupted the presentation. Kolb later apologized for his actions, calling them inappropriate.
Runway Disruption and Physical Confrontation at COS Show
A New York Fashion Week presentation took an unexpected turn when animal rights activists interrupted the runway, leading to a physical confrontation involving a prominent fashion trade association executive. The incident occurred during the COS fall-winter 2026 show held at the WSA building in New York.
The protesters carried signs and chanted slogans against COS and its parent company, H&M Group, targeting the use of sheep wool in apparel. As the demonstration unfolded, Steven Kolb, the president and CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), intervened directly. Video footage shared across social media and news outlets showed Kolb grabbing activists, snatching printed placards, and pushing male activist Mason Melito away from the runway area.
Kolb was also captured on video pulling a female protester to the floor, wrapping his leg around her to restrain her, and placing his hands over her mouth and face. Despite the commotion on the runway, the fashion presentation continued on schedule as security guards escorted the demonstrators away. Front-row celebrity guests, including Sharon Stone, Lupita Nyong’o, John Boyega, and Michelle Williams, watched the altercation as models continued walking.
Steven Kolb Issues an Apology as PETA Considers Legal Action
By Sunday evening, Kolb addressed the confrontation through a statement on his Instagram page, acknowledging that his physical intervention crossed a line. I reacted inappropriately to an incident at a show earlier today,
Kolb wrote in the statement, as reported by The New York Times. It wasn’t my place to do so. I should have let the security team handle the situation.
“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.”
Steven Kolb, President and CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America
PETA sharply criticized the response from the CFDA head. PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk issued a statement condemning the executive’s actions. 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,
Newkirk stated. PETA representatives indicated that activists planned to file a police report following the incident and were exploring potential criminal charges against Kolb, though protester Mason Melito noted that the group was weighing its options.
Broader Industry Pressures Over Animal Fibres and Fur Policies
The runway protest highlights an ongoing campaign by animal rights organizations targeting the retail supply chains of major fashion conglomerates. PETA directed its protest at COS to pressure H&M Group over wool sourcing, following an investigation by PETA that alleged mistreatment of sheep at a South African wool farm connected to certified supply networks.
The current September 2026 New York Fashion Week marks the first in which animal fur products are not being promoted, following the CFDA’s official ban on real animal fur, which prohibits materials from animals killed specifically for their pelts.
