Steven Kolb was filmed covering a PETA protester's mouth as he physically restrained her during a New York Fashion Week confrontation, a moment that has since drawn particular scrutiny from commenters in a vegan Reddit community.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) president and CEO was filmed restraining two animal rights activists who disrupted the COS runway show in New York on Sunday, September 13, as they protested the use of wool. Reuters reported that the video showed Kolb restraining one activist on the ground and covering her mouth with his hand.
That particular moment has drawn intense attention in a discussion on the r/vegan subreddit, where a post about the confrontation had attracted more than 600 upvotes and dozens of comments.
The CEO and president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, Steven Kolb, has apologized after physically restraining PETA protesters at a New York Fashion Week show. pic.twitter.com/8e7Xc4oWDP
— ABC News (@ABC) September 15, 2026
Commenters Condemn the Mouth-Covering Moment
One commenter singled out Kolb's action, writing: 'Covering their mouths is so vile. I can't imagine having someone else's hands on my face like that. I would not have remained as calm as they did. They are amazing advocates.'
Another commenter focused on the interaction with the second activist, writing: 'He also put his finger in the guy's mouth. Disgusting man.'
Other commenters similarly concentrated on the protesters' decision not to fight back.
'It took a lot of restraint to not hit that guy back, and it made the protest that much more effective,' one user wrote, while another argued that the activists' objective was not to fight but 'to cause public outrage to gain attention'.
Why PETA Protested the COS Show
The confrontation happened after PETA activists interrupted the COS show to protest the use of wool. PETA has alleged that sheep used for wool in the fashion supply chain are subjected to abuse and cited an investigation into a South African farm connected to a certified wool supply chain used by H&M Group. PETA said its protesters were highlighting alleged cruelty to sheep during the runway disruption.
NOW: “Bloody Sheep, Cruelty in Wool Industry” Protest by PETA supporters outside a New York Fashion Week Event at Rockefeller Center in Midtown NYC
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) September 10, 2026
Video by Ken Lopez | Licensing @FreedomNTV [email protected] pic.twitter.com/uL6ibjw7TZ
PETA has characterised Kolb's actions as an assault, while the organisation later said it wanted to meet with him to discuss its concerns over wool and other animal-derived materials. PETA initially indicated it planned to file a police report, but later said it wanted to meet with Kolb following legal consultations.
Kolb Apologises and Takes Leave
Kolb, meanwhile, apologised for his response and acknowledged that he should not have intervened physically.
'There is no justification for physically restraining another person. Security should have handled the situation, and I should have stepped back,' Kolb said in a statement shared on Instagram, according to Reuters.
Ahora sí, Steven Kolb pidió disculpas. Cambio de tono total. Dice se tomará una licencia laboral voluntaria del CDFA y que ya aceptó una invitación de PETA para discutir sus preocupaciones y espera disculparse en persona con los dos manifestantes que agredió:
— Rebeca Maccise (@rebecamaccise) September 14, 2026
"El domingo, en el… https://t.co/iuyGXIEm5b pic.twitter.com/eNQHZ8ggIv
He also announced that he would take a voluntary leave of absence and said he planned to meet with a professional following the incident. The CFDA subsequently confirmed that Kolb was on leave pending a full review.
How Wool Fits Into the Wider Debate
The incident has also drawn attention because the CFDA introduced a ban on animal fur at New York Fashion Week events beginning with the September 2026 shows. The policy does not extend to wool, which was the focus of the PETA protest at COS.
H&M Group, COS's parent company, said it is committed to animal welfare and sources animal fibres from certified farms and, where possible, recycled sources. The company also said that, following investigations into PETA's allegations, the licences for one mohair farm and one wool farm had been suspended, meaning the farms could no longer sell certified materials.
For commenters in the vegan Reddit discussion, however, the broader debate over wool was repeatedly brought back to the same image: Kolb placing his hand over a protester's mouth as she attempted to continue her demonstration.
As one commenter put it, the protesters had shown 'a lot of restraint' during the confrontation, while another simply described the moment as 'vile'.
