Full Breakdown
PETA Wool Protest at COS NYFW Leads to Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) CEO Steven Kolb’s Leave
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Physical Restraint of PETA Activists at the COS Runway (September 13, 2026)
During the COS Spring-Summer 2027 show at New York Fashion Week, a group of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals activists entered the runway to protest the brand’s use of sheep’s wool. Video captured by attendees shows CFDA President and CEO Steven Kolb wrestling a female protester to the floor, wrapping a leg around her and covering her mouth, then later pushing a male protester and covering his face. Security eventually removed the activists while the models continued down the catwalk. The footage quickly went viral, prompting widespread criticism of Kolb’s intervention.
Background & Context
PETA has a decades-long record of disrupting fashion shows to highlight animal-derived material abuse. In December 2025 the CFDA announced a ban on real animal fur for New York Fashion Week, a policy that took effect for the September 2026 season but does not extend to wool. COS, a Swedish label owned by H&M Group, sources wool from farms certified under the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) and from recycled sources, a practice PETA has repeatedly challenged. Earlier investigations by PETA’s Asia unit alleged mistreatment of sheep at a South African farm supplying wool to H&M Group, prompting the suspension of that farm’s RWS certification.
Data & Statistics
- Six PETA activists entered the COS runway, according to PETA spokesperson Moira Colley.
- Two activists—identified by PETA as senior campaigner Mason Melito and activist Andrija Barak—were physically restrained by Kolby.
Official Statements & Responses
- Kolb posted on Instagram Stories: “I reacted inappropriately to an incident at a show earlier today,” and said he would take a voluntary leave and seek professional help.
- The CFDA board said Kolb would be placed on leave pending a full review and reaffirmed its commitment to “working with dissenting voices.”
- H&M Group expressed that the incident was “deeply sorry” and emphasized its priority on guest safety.
- PETA’s senior director of media relations, Moira Colley, said the group is willing to meet with Kolb to discuss its wool investigations.
Criticism & Opposition
- PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk condemned the CEO’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.”
On-the-Ground Reports
- Steph Saltzman, style director for *Fashionista*, described the moment as unsettling: “I personally was shaken.”
- Witnesses reported that Kolb’s leg-wrap and hand-cover maneuver occurred while models continued walking, and that security intervened only after the activists were subdued.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- PETA announced plans to file a police report and pursue criminal charges, but no arrest has been confirmed.
- H&M Group noted that licenses for one mohair and one wool farm were suspended after third-party investigations, yet it has not been established that those farms supplied the specific COS collection shown on September 13.
- No independent verification has been provided for the alleged cruelty at the South African farm beyond PETA’s undercover footage.
What’s Next
The CFDA has initiated a full review of Kolb’s conduct, with no timeline disclosed. Kolb has accepted PETA’s invitation to meet and discuss wool-sourcing concerns. PETA continues to pursue legal avenues, while H&M Group maintains that its wool supply chain complies with existing certifications. The incident has reignited debate over the fashion industry’s handling of animal-derived materials and the appropriate response to activist interventions on the runway.